What ethical issue is highlighted by generalizing findings from animal studies to humans?

• A. Generalizability
• B. Informed consent
• C. Confidentiality
• D. Debriefing

Answer: (A)

Generalizability is the main concept here: extrapolating findings from animal studies to humans can raise ethical concerns because species differences mean the results may not apply to people. If researchers assume animal results will hold true in humans without solid evidence, interventions or policies could be misapplied, causing harm or misinformation. This ethical issue emphasizes the responsibility to limit claims to what the data actually support and to be cautious when extending findings beyond the studied context. Informed consent, confidentiality, and debriefing concern different aspects of research ethics and don’t address the challenge of applying animal data to human beings.