Collaborative Discussion 2

Peer Responses

Hello Amrol,

Thank you for your informative post. Your analysis effectively highlights the ethical responsibility that professionals, including Abi, must uphold when handling research data. The British Dietetic Association (2021) emphasizes that systematic and continuous data collection is essential to ensure the reliability and accuracy of reported outcomes (BDA, 2021).

You also make a crucial point about Abi’s responsibility to report both favorable and unfavorable results. The Association for Nutrition (2024) states that although a balanced approach is advised, professionals must put public safety ahead of business interests and make sure that study finding are honestly conveyed. If Abi’s data indicates potential health risks, it would be unethical to minimize or obscure these findings. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Code of Ethics further reinforces this stance by mandating that professionals’ practice with honesty, integrity, and fairness, avoiding selective reporting that could mislead stakeholders (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2023). Additionally, Abi also needs to consider how study findings might be misused. Consumers may be misled and ethical research norms may be broken if the manufacturer provides only positive analysis. The Commission on Dietetic Registration (N.D) outlines the duty of professionals to prevent the misuse of their findings by ensuring full transparency in research reporting (Peregrin, 2018).

Overall, the ethical, legal and societal obligations Abi has are well highlighted by your post. Maintaining integrity in research and data reporting serves as a public health and safety precaution in addition to being a professional duty.

References:

BDA (2024). British Dietetic Association. [online] Uk.com. Available from: https://www.bda.uk.com/practice-and-education/professional-guidance/record-keeping.html. [Accessed 21 March 2025].

Association for Nutrition (2024). Standards of Ethics, Conduct and Performance. Available from: https://www.associationfornutrition.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/UKVRN-Standards-of-Ethics-Conduct-Performance-Jan-25-1_compressed.pdf. [Accessed 21 March 2025].

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (2023). Code of ethics for the nutrition and dietetics profession. [online] www.eatrightpro.org. Available from: https://www.eatrightpro.org/practice/code-of-ethics/code-of-ethics-for-the-nutrition-and-dietetics-profession. [Accessed 21 March 2025].

www.cdrnet.org. (n.d.). The Commission on Dietetic Registration. Code of Ethics - Commission on Dietetic Registration. [online] Available from: https://www.cdrnet.org/codeofethics. [Accessed 21 March 2025].

Peregrin, T. (2018). Revisions to the Code of Ethics for the Nutrition and Dietetics Profession. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 118(9), pp.1764–1767. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2018.05.028. [Accessed 21 March 2025].

Hello Mohammed,

Thank you for your informative post. Your analysis underscores the ethical responsibilities inherent in Abi’s statistical analysis decisions concerning the cereal Whizzz. Upholding integrity and transparency are paramount in research practices. The National Academics of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (2017) emphasize that the integrity of knowledge that emerges from research is based on individuals and collective adherence to core values of objectivity, honesty, openness, fairness, accountability and stewardship (National Academics of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2017).

Your mention of potential bias is particularly interesting. The National Institute of Health (NIH, 2015) highlight that ethical guidelines are established to protect patient volunteers and to preserve the integrity of the science. Interpreting data has significant wider ramifications for public health. According to NIH, ethical guidelines in research are crucial to protect the participants in research, emphasizing the role of integrity in maintaining public trust and promoting informed decision making (NIH, 2015).

In conclusion, Abi’s situation highlights the critical need for transparency, honesty and integrity in statistical reporting.

References:

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2017). Fostering Integrity in Research. [online] Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. doi: https://doi.org/10.17226/21896. [Accessed 21 March 2025].

National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2015). Guiding Principles for Ethical Research. [online] Available from: https://www.nih.gov/health-information/nih-clinical-research-trials-you/guiding-principles-ethical-research?utm_source=chatgpt.com. [Accessed 21 March 2025].

Hello Oi Lam Siu,

Thank you for your informative post. Your response highlights the importance of maintaining integrity in statistical reporting aligns with ethical guidelines established by professional organizations. For example, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) stresses that researchers should ensure that their work is free from misleading claims or selective reporting (COPE, 2019).

Your discussion of data protection regulation such as GDPR is also critical. The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) notes that transparency in data processing is fundamental to ethical research (EDPB, 2021).

While GDPR primarily addresses data privacy rather than research integrity, its emphasis on accountability underscores the importance of clear and responsible reporting in all professional fields.

Furthermore, your citation of the BCS Code of Conduct emphasizes Abi’s moral obligations. While Abi is not legally required to control the research’s use, ethical standards recommend that appropriate precautions be taken to avoid misunderstandings. As the World Health Organization (WHO) advises, researchers must consider potential societal consequences, when interpreting and publishing findings to avoid misleading narratives (Stepke, 2012).

References:

COPE (2019). Promoting integrity in research and its publication committee on publication ethics: COPE. [online] Publicationethics.org. Available from: https://publicationethics.org/. [Accessed 21 March 2025].
European Data Protection Board (EDPB). (2021). Transparency European Data Protection Board. [online] Available from: https://www.edpb.europa.eu/our-work-tools/our-documents/guidelines/transparency_en. [Accessed 21 March 2025].

Lolas Stepke, F. (2012). WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION Standards and operational guidance for ethics review of health-related research with human participants. Acta bioethica, [online] 18(1), pp.129–132. doi: https://doi.org/10.4067/s1726-569x2012000100014. [Accessed 21 March 2025].