How should inclusion and exclusion criteria reflect justice?

• A. Criteria should exclude vulnerable groups by default.
• B. Criteria should be fair, non-discriminatory, and appropriate to the research question without exploiting groups.
• C. Criteria should favor convenient recruitment.
• D. Criteria are optional.

Answer: (B)

Justice in research means ensuring that the burdens and benefits of research are distributed fairly, and that no group is unfairly exploited or excluded from potential benefits. Inclusion and exclusion criteria should be fair, non-discriminatory, and appropriate to the research question, guiding who can participate in a way that protects people and preserves the study’s validity. They should be applied consistently and only exclude individuals for reasons tightly tied to safety or the scientific aims of the study. This helps prevent discrimination against protected characteristics unless those characteristics are essential to the research context or risk assessment. Excluding vulnerable groups by default would deny them potential benefits and could place an undue burden elsewhere, while prioritizing convenient recruitment risks biased results and unfairly limits who bears or receives risks and benefits. Inclusion and exclusion criteria are not optional; they’re a fundamental part of conducting ethically sound research.