Therapeutic Effects of Psyllium in Type 2 Diabetic Patients - Essay Example

 Therapeutic Effects of Psyllium in Type 2 Diabetic Patients Introduction Researchers who conduct studies involving humans as subjects are obligated to conform to a set of ethical guidelines. The researchers should do the right thing while abiding with concerns and respect for the fellow creatures. The values of respect, research integrity and merit, beneficence, and justice are central to ethical research (Loewy and Loewy 2004, p. 34). The aforementioned values should inform the interaction between the researchers and the participants. It is noteworthy that many people who contribute as participants to human research do it altruistically for a common good without any thoughts of recompense for their effort and time. Thus, a compromise of their rights is unethical. Hence, the researchers have a duty to uphold the ethical values when dealing with the human subjects. In effect, researchers should exercise the responsibility of developing a research design that minimises elements of human harm. This paper examines whether the study by Sierra, Garcia, Fernandez, Diez, Calle, and Farmafibra Group adhered to ethical principles that guide research on humans. The evaluation will determine whether the article was worthy to be published in journals. Assessment of Adherence of Ethical Guidelines in Current Study The study assessed the effects of psyllium on patients suffering from the type 2 diabetes. The researchers adhered to the established procedure for conducting ethical research. Notably, the investigators consulted the Human ethical committee of the university and the National Institute of Health for approval (Sierra et al 2002, p. 831). The approval by the national bodies is crucial in research involving the human participants. In this regard, the investigators followed the ethical guidelines by contacting the committee at the university and Spanish national institute of health to approve the research. In addition, the research adhered to the principles of the declaration of Helsinki. Researches that skip the approval stage tend to violate the ethical principles. It is in the approval stage that the national body evaluates the research merit, as well as the integrity of the researchers. The institutional review boards have a mandate to ensure that studies involving humans are ethical and respect the rights, as well as the welfare of the participants. Unless, the study has merit and the researchers have sufficient integrity, the involvement of humans as participants is ethically unjustifiable (Matthews and Kostelis 2011, p. 147). The benefit of the research to the humanity is a central principle that underpins the value of justice. The method of selecting the participants in this study adheres to the ethical guidelines. Notably, the researchers employed informed consent while recruiting the twelve men and women who voluntarily participated in the study (Sierra et al 2002, p. 831). Informed consent is important in research involving humans because the participants become aware of the entitlement prior to taking part in the study (Loewy and Loewy 2004, p. 119). The researchers are supposed to give enrolled and potential participants with the necessary information concerning the research (Matthews and Kostelis 2011, p. 147-148). Essentially, the informed consent intends to protect the participants. Thus, the consent should offer sufficient information to the participants to enable them understand the potential risks in the study. In effect, the study under consideration adhered to this ethical procedure. Evidently, the researchers obtained a written consent from all the participants. The study design sufficiently adhered to the ethical guidelines established for carrying out researches involving human participants. The investigators have provided comprehensive steps they followed in the methodology section. Notably, the method of selection the patient and sample size is provided in the article. The sample size is enough for the evaluation of the therapeutic effect of the psyllium on type 2 diabetic patients. The sample size comprised of the twelve men and eight women with an average of 67.4 and 66 years respectively (Sierra et al 2002, p. 831). Similarly, the selection of the participants qualifies a well-executed and ethical research. The researchers selected participants suffering from the type 2 diabetes. In this regard, the sample size and choice of the participants is suitable for the current research. Importantly, the researchers questioned the participants to ascertain whether they had subjective gastrointestinal side effects of fibres (Sierra et al 2002, p. 831). The questioning is in accordance with the ethical guidelines for conducting this kind of research. It implies that the investigators considered the welfare of the participants. Additionally, the researchers carefully recorded and monitored significant adverse events during the study. In essence, the sample size and the study design facilitated the evaluation of the efficacy of the psyllium on type 2 diabetic patients. The current research has comprehensively analysed data using statistical approaches. This step is a significant element that gives a study its integrity. In effect, data analysis is a crucial segment of quality research. Notably, the research developed statistical approaches in the study design (Sierra et al 2002, p. 832). The statistical approaches facilitated the simultaneous analysis of the concentrations of blood glucose, fructosamine, insulin, urinary glucose, uric acid, glycosylated haemoglobin, cholesterol, and minerals in the diabetic patients. However, the researchers blatantly failed to include the hypotheses while designing the study. It is always important for a study define hypotheses in advance during the study. The definition gives the study a direction to accept or reject the hypotheses. The failure to establish hypotheses in the study design is a drawback to the current study. Nonetheless, the conclusion of the study captures the important points raised in the body of the research. This gives the study its integrity. The current research did not include the details of the financiers. Similarly, the study failed to capture the interest of the parties in this research. Although such failure does not amount to a grossly violation of the ethical principle, it is always important for researchers to give such information. In effect, it is morally right to present the interest of the people who have funded the research. Studies consume a huge investment in terms of money, personal risks, and effort. Thus, it is morally obvious for the investigators to acknowledge the sponsors of the study. The current study failed blatantly to capture this critical information. Conclusion In conclusion, the current study adhered to the ethical principles that guide researches on human subjects. In effect, the study did not grossly violate ethical guidelines established for conducting a research of this nature. Notably, the participants had informed consent from the researchers, and institutional committee approved the study. Evidently, each participant had an informed prior to taking part in the study. Additionally, the analysis and conclusion sections are comprehensive. Thus, the study is worth for publication. Bibliography Loewy, E., and Loewy, R., 2004, Textbook of healthcare ethics, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht. Matthews, T., and Kostelis, K., 2011, Designing and conducting research in health and human performance, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco. Sierra, M., et al, 2002, Therapeutic effects of psyllium in type 2 diabetic patients, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 56, pp. 830-842. Read More