What is the primary purpose of the National Commission established by the National Research Act?

The primary purpose of the National Commission established by the National Research Act was to develop ethical principles and guidelines for human research. This was a significant step in the evolution of ethical standards in research, particularly following the ethical violations identified in past studies, such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. The Commission played a crucial role in articulating the need for informed consent, the assessment of risks and benefits, and the importance of ethical considerations in the treatment of human subjects throughout the research process. This focus on ethical principles is foundational to protecting participants in clinical research and ensuring the integrity of scientific inquiry.

Other options, while related to research and its regulation, focus on narrower aspects such as enforcement of existing regulations, oversight of pharmaceutical companies, or management of research funding—none of which encapsulate the broad and fundamental mission of developing ethical guidelines for human research that the National Commission was charged with overseeing.