Methodological problems connected with scientific research on patients undergoing palliative care
Abstract
The aim of the article is to analyze the methodological problems connected with scientific research carried out on patients undergoing palliative care, from the point of view of the requirements of scientific research ethics and the principles of bioethics. The problem of the conflict of moral norms in fulfilling two roles, that of a researcher and of a physiotherapist, is presented using the example of research carried out by Dr. A. Wójcik on the quality of life of patients in the last phase of cancer undergoing palliative home care, including physical therapy care. In the context of the normative paradigm of upright scientific research, special attention is given to two issues. The first is the conflict between the role of a physical therapist as a researcher and that of someone having direct care over terminally ill patients. The second is an analysis of concrete moral and methodological problems connected with studying the subjective quality of life of cancer patients in the terminal phase in the context of the need to follow good scientific research practices.