This paper explains that ethics are generally based on the field or
situation in which a person is involved; morals are personal
rules of behavior, which may or may not be relative to the
situation, and are based on individually embraced value systems as opposed to overarching cultural or professional norms. The author points out that subjects in medical research should not be lied to, confidentiality is required where offered, long-term harm should be avoided and all research should both be scientifically valid, performed by qualified researchers and within facilities capable of caring for patients. The paper stresses that, only when morality and ethics align can a legitimate code of ethics be created; where moral issues are deeply obscured, creating an ethical code can be extremely difficult as in the case of
stem-cell research.