The Helsinki Declaration: why all the fuss?

Since 1964, the Declaration of Helsinki has been accepted internationally as the cornerstone for research ethics. As such it has been incorporated into a number of guidance documents for research undertaken on human subjects. In 1999, the American Medical Association put forward a proposal for wide-ranging revision of the document, which would significantly weaken the rights of research subjects and lower the standards for research on human subjects. This article discusses the probable effects of the most significant proposals for change and argues against them. It also urges nurses, especially those involved in research, to become involved in the international consultation currently being undertaken by the World Medical Association.