Gum Stunt Backfires
By Richard Bond
Some scientists will stop at nothing in the pursuit of knowledge and hard cash. Luckily for us our spy in the Other Lab is there to record the fall-out when it all goes wrong.
“Gum splattered streets could soon be no more thanks to a virtually non-stick chewing gum that has been invented by UK scientists….The team also tested the gum on one of the most tricky surfaces - hair….Using the company CEO's daughter as a volunteer, they attached commercial gum to one side of her hair and Rev7 to the other. The commercial gum eventually had to be cut out, but Rev7 could be mostly removed using water, shampoo and a comb.”
From BBC News website, September 2022
A phone rings twice before some picks up:
- Professor Sidcup?
- Speaking.
- Professor Grant, chair of the University Ethics Committee.
- Oh yes.
- It’s about this non-stick gum of yours.
- Yes, great isn’t it?
- I’m sure it is. But that wasn’t why I was ringing.
- Oh?
- No. I’m afraid we’ve had a complaint you see.
- A complaint?
- Yes, from someone who claims that your research was unethical.
- Unethical?
- Indeed. I don’t recall your proposal passing through our committee?
- But this is chemistry. Why should it need ethical approval?
- Well, I’m afraid if you’re testing things on human subjects, it does require ethical scrutiny.
- But we didn’t – well, only once.
- Precisely. One Miss Laura Simmonds I believe. Or the complainant as I think she should be referred to.
- Ah.
- Ah indeed.
It was the CEO’s idea.- The CEO?
- Yes, her father. He’s the Chief Exec of the company we’re working with. He volunteered her. Said she could do with a haircut anyway so it wouldn’t matter if we couldn’t wash the gum out.
- And what was Miss Simmonds’ view of this?
- I’m not sure. He is the CEO after all.
- I’m not sure that’s really the point.
- They are funding the development of this stuff.
- I’m not sure that’s the point either.
- And her hair really did need a cut.
- I don’t doubt it. However there is the issue of informed consent.
- Informed what?
- Informed consent. It’s a fundamental ethical principle that any human subject takes part in a research project willingly and in the full knowledge of its potential consequences.
- I see.
- Would you say that Miss Simmonds gave her consent?
- Not so you could hear.
- And why was that?
- Well, we had to gag her you see, what with all the noise she was making.
- Oh dear. Did she signal her agreement to participate in any way?
- Difficult to tell really. We had to tie her down as well, but that was only because she put up such a fight. She was a feisty one I can tell you!
- Feisty indeed, Professor Sidcup, which is why I think we might be seeing you at a Committee hearing very soon.
- I’ll get my diary….
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- Scientific first - Gummy bear science
- Measurement chaos - We're in for a pasting
- Bizarre - God reacts to Hell's carbon cut claims
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Image: Jepthe
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