How does or can clinical research use social media? With the increasing use of social media in clinical research, what ethical issues might arise in the use of platforms such as Facebook and Twitter?...

Running Head: HEALTHCARE                                1
HEALTHCARE                                        7
HEALTHCARE
SOCIAL MEDIA AND CLINICAL RESEARCH
Table of Contents
Introduction    3
Clinical Research and the Use of Social Media    3
Ethical Issues    4
Unethical Considerations    5
Conclusion    6
References    7
Introduction
This paper focus on social media's growing role in clinical research Furthermore, the ethical difficulties that may emerge from the use of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter in clinical trials will be highlighted. Finally, this article will describe the criteria that you would have used to determine whether utilizing social media for clinical research is unethical or not.
Clinical Research and the Use of Social Media
In this "internet age," the healthcare paradigm is fast evolving, particularly in the field of communication, which is happening every minute among the various players (Netflix, 2021). Patients, who are at the center of all work and growth, are more empowered than ever before, thanks to input from a range of sources, including social media.
In several fields of clinical research, regulations have not kept up with the rate of social media usage. One of the world's most known healthcare authorities, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), ended a recent news release (September 2016) on their increased participation through social media, stating the necessity for building a social media strategy to extend EMA's engagement (Ray, 2017).
In 2011, three draught guidelines were released. One guideline was in 2014, which addressed concerns such as responding to unsolicited requests for off-label information regarding prescription medications and medical equipment, internet/social media platforms; and correcting third-party disinformation about these matters (Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, 2015).
Few professional organizations have also developed recommendations for HCPs' use of social media. None of these recommendations is final or tailored to a certain platform. Neither research sponsors nor contract research firms have codified coordinated processes or set defined business rules. Instead, the majority of them are experimenting with social and digital media communities on specific programs.
The sponsors' current procedures for addressing employee social media use are likewise highly generic, for example, guidelines for...