Unwilling Research Subjects

Author(s): Woody Gaines, Ph.D.

A research group in an urban US area wishes to study the effects of a disease in a marginalized ethnic group. Researchers expect results will help future generations, but not research subjects themselves. Members of the group do not wish to be involved in research because of widespread popular knowledge of unethical research conducted on members of their group in the past. The research group seeks to counter the unwillingness of the group's members to be research subjects.

Should the researchers attempt to counter the unwillingness of the potential research subjects? If so, in what ways might the research group attempt to do so?