IRB and Ethics

I enjoyed our class discussion on the IRB a few classes ago. It is amazing how new these standards for research really are. I always thought that harmful research had generally ended with the Nazis. I was shocked to hear about the research on syphilis and the deception of those involved. What really disgusted me was the compliance of the government agencies. Learning about the history of the IRB made writing my IRB much more meaningful. I was no longer annoyed at the length and stipulations, but grateful that research is evaluated so that risk is minimized. 

I recently read an blog post on an Indian doctor's blog that somewhat criticized the obsession with ethics and the IRB. He told the story of a doctor who encountered a medical problem he was not qualified to diagnose. Using social media he was able to collaborate with a specialist in another country to diagnose and treat the man who would not have been able to be treated or diagnosed otherwise. He sent the information in a secure manner, and exercised caution. After the treatment, the specialist and another doctor involved suggested that they together write up the experience and submit it to a medical journal to extol the benefits of using social media. The journal was immensely interested, but did not publish the article since the doctor was unable to locate the man he had treated. He tried to explain that he was from a tiny rural village very far away and despite his efforts he could not find him. They were too concerned with what the blogger referred to as "red bureaucratic tape" and the possibility of a lawsuit to publish a very enlightening piece. He expressed frustration that these well intended regulations are often harmful to the scientific community. It was interesting to hear his perspective. While it may have been harmless was not conducted as research, but more as a kind of after the fact case study I see the journal's concerns. Unfortunately there are those that without these precautions would conduct harmful research. Until we reach the point where these rules are no longer necessary, we will have to put up with the inconvenience of the IRB. If nothing else, it brings the possible repercussions of your research to your attention and makes you exercise caution.

Oh and enjoy the pretty picture of henna.....

Annotated Source Caste

I read an interesting research paper a few weeks ago that explores a growing participation of low-caste Dalit (this is another name for the untouchables, it means "oppressed")women in politics. Many of these women are refusing to identify themselves as Dalit despite the separatist pride in the label. This refusal may seem counterintuitive to their cause as a part of the BSP party. The BSP has mobilized lower castes for equality and empowerment. Further complicating their choice is the government program, scheduled caste, which provides aid to lower-caste individuals. The article asks the question, how does the activism of low caste women affect female political participation? This has yielded the startling revelation that these women view their political participation as unrestricted by caste.

This case study provides an interesting insight into women political participation. It is interesting to observe that although the Indian government has outlawed caste, it still uses a system called scheduled caste to allocate resources to low caste individuals. Despite their good intentions, label oriented welfare may be a significant factor in the resilience of the caste system and failure to attain equality. Exploring how these government policies have unintentionally hindered equality could be a fascinating. It would have been interesting if the article explored the women’s material sacrifice and effect to their health (not benefiting from the affirmative action programs) in refusing the Dalit name.