Which of the following is a fundamental ethical responsibility of researchers?

The fundamental ethical responsibility of researchers revolves around the principle of ensuring the safety and well-being of human subjects involved in their studies. Avoiding harm to participants is central to research ethics, as highlighted by ethical guidelines such as the Belmont Report, which emphasizes the importance of beneficence. This principle mandates that researchers actively work to minimize risks and prevent any potential physical or psychological harm to participants.

By prioritizing the well-being of subjects, researchers uphold important ethical standards that protect individuals from exploitation or distress during the research process. This focus on preventing harm not only strengthens the integrity of the research but also fosters public trust in scientific inquiry.

While maximizing the number of participants, publishing results regardless of outcomes, and sharing participant data may have their respective merits in research, they do not address the immediate ethical concern of participant safety, which is paramount. Hence, avoiding harm to human subjects stands out as the correct answer regarding fundamental ethical responsibilities in research.