The Belmont Report of 1979 is the cornerstone and the foundation behind all of federal rules and regulations governing today’s clinic research, at least according to my understanding.

As a further reaction to Tuskegee Syphilis Study (1932-1972), the then United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare drafted and passed this report in Belmont Conference Center. That’s how the report got its name. The report attempted to lay out the basic ethical principles and guidelines that should assist in resolving the ethical problems that surround the conduct of research with human subjects. The main idea of this report is RBJ — Respect, Beneficence, and Justice, so much absent in the Tuskegee Study.

Respect for persons –Individuals should be treated as autonomous agents; persons with diminished autonomy are entitled to due protection. No study can be legally carried out without the informed consent of the subjects.

Beneficence –No harmed shall be done to the human subjects. Research should maximize possible benefits and minimize any possible harms. The nature and scope of risks and benefits must be assessed in a systematic manner, so that benefits must be greater than risks.

Justice –The benefits and risks of research must be distributed fairly. The selection and treatment of subjects must be fair and square.