What constitutes an "ethical lapse" in research?

An "ethical lapse" in research is fundamentally defined as a failure to adhere to ethical standards. Ethical standards serve as guidelines to ensure that research is conducted responsibly, with integrity, and in a manner that respects the rights and welfare of subjects involved. This includes aspects such as obtaining informed consent, ensuring confidentiality, and conducting research without falsification or fabrication of data. When researchers deviate from these standards, they compromise the trustworthiness of their work and can harm participants and the broader community. Therefore, a failure to adhere to these established moral principles directly constitutes an ethical lapse.

In contrast, while achieving research objectives, financial considerations, and conflicts of interest are important to address within research, they do not inherently represent ethical lapses themselves. Issues related to funding and financial matters can lead to ethical concerns if they create biases or conflicts of interest, but they aren't defined as lapses unless they result in a violation of ethical standards.