Which of the following is NOT a principle outlined in the Belmont Report?

The Belmont Report is a foundational document in the field of research ethics, particularly concerning human subjects. It delineates three essential principles to guide ethical research practices: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.

The principle of informed consent is certainly a critical aspect of conducting ethical research, as it ensures that participants voluntarily engage in research with a full understanding of what it entails. However, while informed consent is an application of the principle of respect for persons, it is not explicitly listed as one of the core principles in the Belmont Report.

Respect for persons entails recognizing individual autonomy and the necessity of obtaining informed consent. Therefore, while informed consent is vital in research ethics, the report itself features respect for persons as the broader principle encompassing the need for informed consent, rather than listing informed consent as one of its main principles.

Beneficence involves maximizing benefits and minimizing harm for the research subjects, and justice relates to fairness in the distribution of the benefits and burdens of research. These principles collectively guide researchers in upholding ethical standards while conducting studies involving human subjects.