Gender and Clinical Trials in Costa Rica: Specific Normative Topics

Abstract

This paper focuses on examination of women’s participation in clinical trials as it was regulated by the two official regulations Costa Rica used to norm the clinical research. Both regulations were derogated some months ago.  The point of view of the paper is the difference between men and women concerning participation in clinical trials, even though the moral principles are the same for all citizens. Its meanings are not the same depending to the gender. Autonomy is enough requirements for male participants but not for female participants: in the name of their reproductive ability, they suffer a decrease of their self-determination. According to this, regulations not also has incurred into a contradiction, but also involving beneficence, against the aims of clinical research.