The long history of excluding pregnant women from biomedical research is beginning to witness some overdue rethinking and possible reversal. Perceptions of what is ethically permissible or necessary often change overtime. We have only to think of the evolution of informed consent in both the clinical and research settings to remind us that past practice can change for ethical reasons. Mere decades ago, it was more common for physicians to withhold a diagnosis of cancer than to reveal it to their patients. Fewer than 20 years ago, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) still had a policy of excluding women "of childbearing potential" from enrolling in drug research. To exclude any group or population from participating in medical research results in a lack of knowledge about the risks and potential benefits of products that will be available for their use once on the market. Whether it is respect for the autonomy of patients or justice in the selection of participants for research, an evolution in ethical thinking has undeniably occurred
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