Environmental Health Research and the Observer's Dilemma

BACKGROUND: Environmental health researchers frequently study people in occupational, educational, recreational, or domestic settings who are exposed to hazardous agents. OBJECTIVE/DISCUSSION: Deciding whether-and how-to inform research subjects about risks they face in their environment can be a challenging task for investigators. Because legal rules and professional guidelines do not cover this topic, investigators must carefully consider their ethical obligations in light of the facts and circumstances. CONCLUSION: To navigate through this dilemma, investigators should consider the evidence for the risks, the nature of the risks, the usefulness of risk information to the subjects, and the effects on the study and community of informing subjects about risks.