This study appeared in full in the last issue of Research Ethics Review : 130). Claire, a physiotherapist, wishes to investigate the effects of ‘sports drinks’ on local primary school children who are keen to take part. She plans to use a Multistage Fitness Test in which the children will be asked to run from one designated point to another in time with recorded sounds. Each child will be asked to take the test twice. On the first occasion no sports (...) drink will be given. The drink will be administered before the children take the test for the second time. (shrink)