 What is ethics? Why don't you pause the video here and see if you can write a definition or think of an example situation where ethics is important? Ethics is a system of moral principles and a branch of philosophy which defines what is good for individuals and a society. Our daily lives have lots of examples of ethics. From saying good morning with a smile to ending our day with a polite good night. It's about making choices about what is right or wrong in a way that doesn't hurt others without compromising your self-respect. An example could be if you found a nice new phone that someone has left in a cafe, what would you do? Keep it for yourself or hand it in to the police. The ethical choice would be to do what's morally right, handing in the phone. But what is ethics in science? It involves regulations to preserve the core values of humanity, especially human rights and human dignity. It seeks to ensure that the interests and welfare of the subjects of research always prevail over the interests of science. When scientists work ethically, they should respect people and the need for free informed consent. If someone participates in an experiment like a drug trial, the scientists must explain clearly to them what they are going to do and make them aware of any possible side effects. They should protect people who don't have the ability to make informed choices for themselves, for example children, people with communication difficulties or those suffering from dementia. Seeking to maximize benefits and minimize harm. Consider privacy rights and confidentiality. People's personal details must be kept secret and using animals in experiments only where there is no alternative and treat them fairly, minimizing their suffering. Politicians can also ensure the use of science is ethical by trying to ensure that people have equal access to healthcare, making sure clinical trials are available for all people, holding healthcare professionals and institutions delivering healthcare accountable and ensuring scientists' work is reviewed by ethical review committees. Examples of ethics being breached include fabrication of data or reporting fake results, changing or emitting data and plagiarism. Dr Andrew Wakefield's 1998 Lancet study caused MMR vaccination rates to fall sharply. He claimed his research linked the vaccine with the development of autism. Following the publication of his research, the number of parents choosing to vaccinate their children fell and consequently, more children contracted, suffered from, were injured and even killed by measles. Dr Wakefield's findings were later discredited. The UK General Medical Council ruled he had acted dishonestly and irresponsibly in conducting his research. Why do you think ethical breaches happen? Pause the video here and have a think. They can be for financial gains, career progression or as a result of institutional pressure. Maybe from those funding the research. Development of drugs costs a huge amount of money. The average drug developed by a major pharmaceutical company costs at least four billion US dollars. Therefore, during trials, the pharmaceutical company want their drug to be successful. Does this put pressure on scientists conducting the trials? So how can science protect against breaches of integrity? Scientific journals have stringent guidelines in the evaluation, publication and follow-up of published research. The scientific community also has a zero tolerance approach to misconduct. As research and technology are changing society and the way we live, scientists must continue to consider the ethical and social aspects of their work. Stem cell research, for example, has the potential to treat and even cure many debilitating conditions from diabetes to Parkinson's disease. However, the source of stem cells is controversial. They originate from two main sources, adult body tissues and embryos. And so scientists must consider the ethics of using cells from embryos to treat conditions in humans. So now you should know that scientists should seek to constantly question not just how they can do something, but if they should do it. If you like the video, give it a thumbs up and don't forget to subscribe, comment below if you have any questions. Why not check out our Fuse School app as well? Until next time.