Question

Please submit your paper topic so that I can review it and make any necessary suggestions or corrections. Your submission should include a brief description of the vulnerable population you will be researching and a brief explanation of what type of risk this population faces. When considering a topic for your paper, make sure that you can find an adequate number of scholarly resources.

Answer 1

Vulnerable population refers to the population who are not capable of protecting their own interests . Example : children , mentally and physically handicapped, people with chronic illness, economically backward etc..

According to ICMR, National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research involving human participants, research must be conducted only if it benefits them. The participants should not be exploited for the research.

Children do come under vulnerable population because of their inability to understand the situations and they are under the adult supervision. Involving children is not ethical in research but in order to develop preventive and treatment methods it is necessary. Research on children can be carried out in the conditions which are seen only in children and there is no or very minimal damage. Permission of parents and child is very important in research.

Similarly, the same rule of minimal risk is carried out in research of pregnant and lactating mothers.

Vulnerable population refers to wide range of population who are at risk in a research setting not only because of their vulnerable characteristics but also because of their life situation. Participation in the study for money is not for the best interest of the individual and also people with impaired judgments such as dementia is again not ethically correct to include this category of vulnerable population in research. Person with early stage of dementia who can give written consent in research can be included in research.  

This was the brief description of vulnerable population and type of risk this population faces.

Thank you..