What's in a name? : subjects, volunteers, participants and activists in clinical research

摘要: The term research subject has traditionally been the preferred in professional guidelines and academic literature to describe a patient or an individual taking part biomedical research. In recent years, however, there steady shift away from use of 'research subject' favour participant' when referring individuals who take by providing data various kinds epidemiological This article critically examines this shift, reflecting on different meanings evoked terms 'subject' 'participant', as well examining examples activism It concludes suggesting that wholesale unreflective adoption 'participant' is inappropriate provides instead guide how determine circumstances which subject, participant activist should legitimately be used.