Ethics

In Biomedical Laboratory Science

Mini-review

Ethics and Quality Assurance in Biomedical Laboratory

Science
*1

Vincent S. Gallicchio , Linda M. Gallicchio

Education & Research Satellite Center in Trace Elements for UNESCO, Department of Biological Sciences
and Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences
and College of Health and Human Services, Clemson University, Past-President,
International Federation of Biomedical Laboratory Science
2
Rutland Institute for Ethics, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634-5138, United States of America

The biomedical laboratory science profession and the professionals who work in this field are dedicated to deliver the best possible services to patients because it is essential in the promotion of quality health care. The information generated with the completion of human genome project has and
continues to transform human clinical medicine by pinpointing at the molecular level the causes of
diseases that heretofore were unknown. In addition, the impact of the human genome project has
created the emerging science of biological therapy, meaning future medicines will be tailored
made for every patient, each with their own specific diagnosis based upon their own individual genetic blueprint. Thus, as discoveries are made at the bench then tested at the bedside to eventually
enter delivery to communities, the revolution of translational medicine is upon us. How will the
biomedical laboratory respond to these changes both in terms of the profession as a whole but importantly how each and every laboratory professional addresses these changes that are revolutionizing the practice of the laboratory profession and laboratories in general? To best address these
changes will require all laboratory professionals to have a quality sense of ethics, especially as it relates to making good, sound decisions. This quality will be paramount to determining how these
changes will be implemented such that the delivery of quality health care to our patients will not be
compromised. This paper addresses many of the concerns involved in making sound ethical decisions.
Key words: biomedical laboratory science, ethics, good decision making

Introduction
The International Federation of Biomedical Laboratory Science (IFBLS) is a global organization established to best address issues directly related to the promotion and function of the profession of biomedical
laboratory science globally. Through efforts targeting
both education and practice focusing through working
partnerships, IFBLS seeks to increase opportunities for
all biomedical laboratory science professionals. To emReceived: June 11, 2013 Revised: August 2, 2013

phasize this commitment, IFBLS is a non-governmental

partner with the World Health Organization (WHO)
working collaboratively to attain mutual goals pertinent
to deliver basic laboratory policies in both developed
and developing countries.
As the result of the focus to promote the profession
of biomedical laboratory science, IFBLS promotes Good
Laboratory Practice (GLP) (www.ifbls.org) [1]. It accomplishes this task by concentrating on establishing an
environment of GLP in diverse environments. It is
within this objective that IFBLS stresses the importance
of a Code of Ethics (www.ifbls.org) [2]. Such a code was

Accepted: September 23, 2013

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Ethics
In Biomedical Laboratory Science
Mini-review
Correspondence: Vincent S. Gallicchio, contact information - Professor and Chief Academic Officer, Health Profession Studies,
College of Agriculture, Forestry & Life Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences & Microbiology, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America, 29634. Email: [email protected]

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established in order to promote the relationship between

the patient and the laboratory within the scope of GLP. It
is through this effort that a Code of Ethics was established that addresses the following elements of good
clinical practice for the profession: (a) be dedicated to
the use of the biochemical laboratory to benefit mankind; (b) provide expertise to advise and counsel other
health professionals; (c) maintain strict confidentiality of
patient information and test results; (d) safe guard the
dignity and privacy of patients; (e) be dedicated to the
use of the biochemical laboratory science to benefit
mankind; (f) provide expertise to advise and counsel
other health professionals, maintain strict confidentiality
of patient information and test results; (g) be responsible
for the logical process from the acquisition of the specimen to the production of data and the final report of the
test results; (h) be responsible for the quality and integrity of biochemical laboratory services; and (i) exercise
professional judgment, skill and care while meeting established standards. Although a code of ethics has essentially focused on the performance and conduct of the
clinical laboratory practitioner, within the past several
years there has been a paradigm shift that will raise new
questions and concerns about how biomedical laboratory
science as both a profession and those who practice
within it will respond.

A New Paradigm Shift - A Cause for

Con- cern or Promising
Opportunity?
Currently in the United States based upon data generated in 2010, more than $30 billion is spent on medication [3]. In a population of 330 million people, 48% of
the population takes one medication daily, two drugs are
taken daily by 31% of the population, while for the percentage of those above the age of 60 taking at least two
medications per day jumps to 76%, and at the same time
37% of the population takes FIVE medications per day
[4]. However, in the final analysis, within all groups
only a small percentage, <10% are actually helped taking this medication. Is this a concern? Should it be a
concern?

Why Must itbe Considered a Concern?

Each and everyone is born with our own specific
genetic blueprint - our DNA, therefore an individuals
response to any medication is really based upon our genomic profile [5,6]. Thus, our genetic predisposition

influences, if not determines, out right our ability to respond to any medication as it relates not just to its efficacy, but also to whether there will be any toxic side
effects. Over time the method used to test drug efficacy
is through what is described as the block buster model
of testing - needing to conduct large randomized drug
trials (>10,000) in order to demonstrate an even small
effect. This is both inefficient and ineffective and a challenge in an environment of ever limiting financial resources [7].
What will be implemented to assist in the efficacy
of drug medication design and effectiveness? It will be
through genomics. In the future genomics testing will be
performed on every patient to determine whether a
medication is worthwhile to administer. As an example,
in cases of Hepatitis C the prescribed medication is
PEG-interferon. The required dosing is for 48 weeks at a
cost of $50,000 [8]. There are many side effects including flu-like symptoms, but the medication is only effective in 50% of patients. In order for the medication to be
effective a patient must test positive for IL-28B. Thus, in
the future patients will need to be tested for IL-28B.
Thus, the ability to digitize the human population
through genomic testing thus moving in the direction of
providing guaranteed success to patients, which by all
standards patients are consumers. Moving from the current status of testing large numbers of patients in order to
demonstrate at best modest effects will be changed as the
result of genomic testing in order to pinpoint who will
respond to new drugs as defined as biological therapies.
Performing a genomic and molecular biological analysis
of an individual with a suspected disease will provide
insight as to what is precisely accounting for how that
patient responds to any medical treatment. Once this
data base has been produced, it will no longer be necessary to conduct the very expensive and very large and
multi-center clinical trials currently in practiced by the
pharmaceutical industry.
But it is not just about drugs or medications, it will
also be about devices and vaccines. In the United States
annually the use of 250,000 defibrillators are implanted
in patients costing $6 billion yet less than 10% implanted last the life of the patient [9]. Thus, in the future
biomarkers will guide the use of these devices especially
for those patients who are not currently candidates for
receiving defibrillators a fact that results in the death of
an additional 300,000 - 400,000 individuals annually.
With respect to vaccines the example was developed in
2010 for prostate cancer, the cost per patient is $93,000,
but the extended quality of life - four months. The question then becomes - does the extended quality of life at

only four months justify the cost?

Thus, with these challenges is it time to create a
new ethics in the performance of clinical trials? Also, in
the United States 60,000 new cases of malignant melanoma are diagnosed annually [10]. The average median
length of survival is eight months. Through genomic
testing it has been shown that the presence of the BRAF
mutation is expressed in 60% of patients. Thus, the focus
has been to develop a biological therapy as an inhibitor
targeting the BRAF mutation. A biological therapeutic
agent has been developed and when tested initially it
showed a marked suppression of the tumor in 81% of
patients. Compared with the standard of care, the drug
dacarbazine, only shows a 15% response rate with considerable toxicity [11]. Known as the Lazarus Effect is
it ethical to perform additional clinical trials where patients would be randomized to receive new biologics
therapies vs. standardization when the preliminary results are so positive in favor of the biologic? The question then becomes can you ethically assign a group of
patients to receive standard medication when the results
for the new biologic are far superior?

best respond to any of these ever more demanding and

complex set of circumstances. In order to best equip

Making Ethical Decisions

As the search continues based upon genomic analyses to identify new therapies for many human illnesses
that are targeted with respect to their precision and site
of action while at the same time minimizing toxicity will
be the targeted focus for the future of clinical laboratory
medicine. It will be the biomedical laboratory that will
be responsible for the testing to determine individual
patient genomic profile as well as the quantitation and
monitoring of the biologic generated therapy and its target site of action.
Thus, the challenges that await the biomedical
laboratory science profession and its professional work
force during this time of transition will be daunting.
Adding to this responsibility will be the demands of
forces that are in play directing the future of clinical
laboratory medicine both from the legislative perspective
but also the demand to provide accurate and precise diagnoses of medical ailments while at the same time demanding cost-effectiveness in delivering these services.
Will the biomedical laboratory science profession and its
professional workforce be ready for these changes?
Making ethical decisions requires the professional
to have at his or her disposal the necessary skill sets to

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the profession and its professional work force to be able

to meet these issues when confronted in order to address
any potential situation or scenario the following approach has been developed. It was created by professionals who deal with ethical issues and dilemmas regarding of the discipline on a regular basis.

The Tool Box Approach

The rationale behind the tool box approach and decision framework is to ensure that each and every individual needing access to the tool box will find useful a
set of instruments that will best equip any professional
to best deal with the ethical issue at hand. The decision
framework is based upon the following:
Identify the Issues & Stakeholders Involved
Use of the Toolbox to Address the Situation
Justify a Course of Action
Decide & Act
The tool box approach allows the professional to
use three ethical lenses (Figure 1) (a) weigh the options, checking the consequences; (b) check the impact
of ones decision in terms of its fairness, rules and truth;
and (c) is the decision one that makes a positive difference. If followed, the toolbox of lenses used with the
decision framework should provide the best possible in
terms of its moral judgment. With this approach in place
it should create at atmosphere where a Code of Ethics
can be used when conditions call for its implementation.
Weigh the Options
Hero

Check the Impacts

Be Your

(rules, truth, fairness)

Decision/moral judgment
(Confidence comes when answers converge)

Fig.1 The ethical tool-box approach encompassing all of its components

Uphold and maintain the dignity and respect of the

profession and strive to maintain a reputation of honest, integrity and reliability
Strive to improve professional skills and knowledge
and adopt scientific advances that benefit the patient
and improve the delivery of test results
How does the tool box work to provide for ethical

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Ethics In Biomedical Laboratory Science

decision-making? What is the incentive to make ethical

decisions? What are the issues? What is at stake? Who
are the stakeholders? These are some of the important
questions needed to ask when one encounters an ethical
decision making situation. One important consideration
when addressing ethical decision-making: is or have the
rules been applied fairly & consistently?
When these questions are to be addressed they
should be stated in an analytical fashion such that using
each lense of the tool box should generate an answer what answer do you obtain? Are the answers consistent
across the lenses? If so then the confidence in your actions will be raised because of this consistency. Thus,
your confidence should be well established because the
process has allowed you to make decisions effectively
and with confidence.
Finally, the premise by which all ethical decisions
need and must be made is based upon integrity. Why?
Because
Integrity is the project of a lifetime
Integrity is an investment opportunity
Integrity builds wealth in relationships and organizations
Keeping integrity in focus at all times will definitely
assist and help each and every biomedical health professional in their ability to address any ethical dilemma one
would face in their everyday practice. Importantly, it will
provide and contribute to all of the necessary and needed
skill-sets required to perform in the ever-changing practice of biomedical laboratory science.

Acknowledgments
The contents of the manuscript were presented in
st
part at the 30 World Congress of Biomedical Laboratory Science held in Berlin, Germany, August 2012
(LMG) and the MEDLAB Africa Health Conference
held in Johannesburg, South Africa in May 2013 (VSG).

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