Author: Jennifer Johansson
Publisher: BMC Medical Ethics
Publication Year: 2022
Summary: The following article discusses how as data analytics transforms human health research, Johansson seeks out prominent researchers to gain insights into how they uphold ethical principles during data collection and usage. Johansson noticed recurring themes in the ethical principles frequently applied by leading human health researchers, and enumerated them as follows: 1). Consideration of consequences, also referred to as consequentialism: This weighs the benefit to the individuals, to society, and mitigating potential harm during the process of analyzing and drawing insights from their data; 2). Respect for rights, considered a deontological approach: Axiomatically, many believe that people are endowed with key rights that should not be infringed upon — and this extends to data analytics. Researchers who prioritize respect for rights weigh the subject’s autonomy, freedom, and dignity, when utilizing their data; and 3). Procedural compliance: Data ethics, beyond their moral worth, can also streamline analytic processes once they are well-defined. This cuts down on time spent debating how to handle ethical issues, which is invaluable in a fast-paced analytic environment.