AMA Journal of Ethics theme editor Terri Davis, a third-year MD student at West Virginia University School of Medicine, interviewed Ranit Mishori, MD, about how to respond to incidents of suspected human trafficking in health care settings.

Emergency research that requires exception from informed consent presents challenges in defining and reaching the at-risk community.

Bias toward allopathic medicine in the research funding and publication of study results makes it difficult for physicians and others to find accurate data about the efficacy of non-Western, nonallopathic treatments.

Public health surveillance for infectious disease provides a model for a mandatory reporting policy for human trafficking, which poses risks for survivors.

Implementation of child abuse reporting laws may help policymakers assess the potential risks and benefits of mandatory reporting of human trafficking.

What’s the evidence base for future standards of care for trafficked patients?

There are advantages and objections to conducting clinical trials in middle-income nations and possible approaches to overcoming the objections.

Institutional review boards (IRBs) have the responsibility to ensure the protection of human-research subjects and are legally liable if they fail to do so.

Institutional review boards (IRBs) play a role in approving research that involves human subjects.