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Research Ethics Challenges in Neuroimaging Research: A Canadian Perspective

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International Neurolaw

Abstract

Neuroimaging research continues to engage the imaginations of scientists, members of the media, and the general public. As an area of human subject research, it also raises a number of research ethics issues that, while not necessarily unique to neuroimaging, offer particular challenges in this growing domain. Here, we consider a number of the key research ethics issues that are emerging as being of central importance to the continued development of this field. We will situate our discussion within the Canadian framework, but many of the issues raised will have broad jurisdictional relevance. While providing a comprehensive examination of all of the research ethics issues implicated by neuroimaging research is beyond the scope of this review, it is hoped that this paper will serve as a useful overview and guide to researchers, research ethics boards, and others interested in neuroimaging research.

Ciara Toole, BHSc, LLB, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta.

Amy Zarzeczny, LLM, Assistant Professor, Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Regina. Timothy Caulfield, LLM, FRSC, Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy, Professor, Faculty of Law and School of Public Health, Senior Health Scholar with the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research and Research Director, Health Law Institute, University of Alberta.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Poldrack has estimated an average of 30–40 papers on fMRI neuroimaging are published every week (2008, p. 223).

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for funding, our NeuroSCAN project collaborators and the University of Alberta’s Health Law Institute for research and administrative support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Law, Law Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H5, Canada

    Ciara Toole, Amy Zarzeczny & Timothy Caulfield

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  1. Ciara Toole
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  2. Amy Zarzeczny
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  3. Timothy Caulfield
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Correspondence to Timothy Caulfield .

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  1. , Institute of Science and Ethics, University of Bonn, Bonner Talweg 57, Bonn, 53113, Germany

    Tade Matthias Spranger

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Toole, C., Zarzeczny, A., Caulfield, T. (2012). Research Ethics Challenges in Neuroimaging Research: A Canadian Perspective. In: Spranger, T. (eds) International Neurolaw. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-21541-4_5

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