The Declaration of Helsinki: Advancing the Evolution of Ethics in Medical Research within the Framework of the Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

This study analyzes the evolution of the Declaration of Helsinki in relation to the external regulation of medical research and transparency in clinical trials, emphasizing its implications for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). The objective was to evaluate the perceptions of healthcare and bioethics professionals on these aspects, considering the educational, professional, and geographic context. A quantitative, cross-sectional, and correlational design was adopted, with a purposive sample of bioethics and healthcare specialists from diverse regions, ensuring cultural, demographic, and socioeconomic representativeness. The results indicated a broad consensus on the need for external regulation and the publication of negative results in clinical studies, although differences persist in the interpretation of participant well-being and in the application of ethical principles depending on the regulatory context of each country. The study contributes to the field of knowledge by demonstrating how professional and regulatory factors influence the perception of ethics in research, and by linking these findings to the SDGs through the promotion of equity, accountability, and global cooperation in health. Limitations include the exclusion of patient and policymaker perspectives. Future research should address civil society’s perception of ethics in medical research, compare the implementation of the Declaration of Helsinki across health systems, and evaluate the impact of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, on the ethics of biomedical research in advancing the SDGs.