Epidemiology International, Inc., 111 Lake Front Drive, Hunt Valley, MD, 21030, USA.
Sterilex Corporation, Hunt Valley, MD, USA.
Curr Environ Health Rep. 2017 Jun;4(2):142-155. doi: 10.1007/s40572-017-0138-z.
This review integrates historical developments and key events in bringing ethics into epidemiology in general and into environmental epidemiology in particular. The goal is to provide context for and discern among the various approaches and motivations that drive the need for ethical conduct in support of the public interest.
The need for ethics guidelines in epidemiology is different from developments in other biomedical-related fields by virtue of its focus on populations rather than on individuals. The need for ethics guidelines in environmental epidemiology as a subspecialty of epidemiology stems from the larger scale of its mission than that of epidemiology per se. Ethics guidelines in the field of environmental epidemiology have been established. They articulate not only the profession's core values and mission, but more specifically, they address the environmental epidemiologist's obligations to the participants in research, to colleagues, and to employers. They are the product of consensus, scholarship, and diligent stewardship over several decades. The next challenge is ensuring their value and impact. The forces that support professional and institutional success, and the power of special interests, are the major threats to achieving the goals of ethical conduct and research for the public good. In environmental epidemiology, these threats have global implications.
本综述综合了将伦理学纳入流行病学，特别是环境流行病学的历史发展和关键事件。目的是为支持公众利益而进行伦理行为的各种方法和动机提供背景，并加以区分。
由于其关注人群而不是个体，因此流行病学中伦理学指南的需求与其他生物医学相关领域的发展不同。作为流行病学的一个分支，环境流行病学伦理学指南的需求源于其使命的规模大于流行病学本身。环境流行病学领域已经制定了伦理学指南。它们不仅阐明了该专业的核心价值观和使命，而且更具体地说，它们解决了环境流行病学家对研究参与者、同事和雇主的义务。它们是几十年共识、学术和勤奋管理的产物。下一个挑战是确保它们的价值和影响。支持专业和机构成功的力量以及特殊利益的力量，是实现为公众利益进行伦理行为和研究目标的主要威胁。在环境流行病学中，这些威胁具有全球性影响。
