Question

Minimal risk? You have been invited to serve on a college’s institutional review board. You must

decide whether several research proposals qualify for lighter review because they involve only minimal risk to subjects. Federal regulations say that “minimal risk” means the risks are no greater than “those ordinarily encountered in daily life or during the performance of routine physical or psychological examinations or tests.” That’s vague. Which of these do you think qualifies as “minimal risk”?

(a) Draw a drop of blood by pricking a finger to measure blood sugar.

(b) Draw blood from the arm for a full set of blood tests.

(c) Insert a tube that remains in the arm, so that blood can be drawn regularly.

Short answer

Part (a) It is a minimal risk.

Part (b) It is a minimal risk.

Part (c) It is not a minimal risk.

Step-by-step solution

Part (a) Step 1: Given information

According to federal laws, low risk indicates that the dangers are no larger than those encountered in everyday life or during routine physical or psychological evaluations or tests.

Part (a) Step 2: Concept

Individuals are purposely subjected to a treatment in order to measure their responses in an experiment.

Part (a) Step 3: Explanation

To measure blood sugar, we prick a finger and draw a drop of blood, it is assumed. As a result, minimal risk is defined as a danger that is no bigger than that encountered in everyday life or during routine physical/psychological exams. As a result, diabetes patients commonly draw a drop of blood, and there appears to be no greater risk than in everyday life. This instance is classified as having "low risk."

Part (b) Step 1: Explanation

If we extract blood from the arm for a full series of blood tests, it is assumed. As a result, minimal risk is defined as a danger that is no bigger than that encountered in everyday life or during routine physical/psychological exams. As a result, blood is drawn frequently during physical examinations. This instance is classified as having "low risk."

Part (c) Step 1: Explanation

It is given in the question that if we place a tube in the arm that stays in place so that blood can be obtained on a regular basis. Thus, as we know Minimal risk is a risk no greater than in daily life or during routine physical/psychological tests. Thus, inserting a tube for regular blood drawing is not routinely done during physical tests. This means that this case is not qualified as "minimal risk".