Kennedy Krieger Institute

Baltimore, USA

Kennedy Krieger Institute is a healthcare organization dedicated to treating children with neurological disorders, offering comprehensive clinical care, cutting‐edge research, and educational programs for healthcare professionals and families.

CCI Score

-4.96

0.01% April 18

Latest Event

KKI’s Nontherapeutic Research on Children Raises Ethical Concerns

The Maryland case Grimes v Kennedy Krieger Institute scrutinizes the ethics of nontherapeutic research on children, highlighting that low‐income children were enrolled in studies with potential harm and no prospect of direct benefit. The case raises serious questions about the research practices and the duty of care owed to vulnerable child subjects.

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BYSTANDER

Kennedy Krieger Institute is currently rated as a Bystander.

-1 to -4 CCI Score

Companies scoring here do little to oppose authoritarianism. Their inaction results in a passive endorsement of the status quo, as they neither actively resist oppression nor contribute to overt support for it.

Latest Events

JUL

30

2002

KKI’s Nontherapeutic Research on Children Raises Ethical Concerns
-5.15

The Maryland case Grimes v Kennedy Krieger Institute scrutinizes the ethics of nontherapeutic research on children, highlighting that low‐income children were enrolled in studies with potential harm and no prospect of direct benefit. The case raises serious questions about the research practices and the duty of care owed to vulnerable child subjects.
-50

Business Practices and Ethical Responsibility

March 31

Kennedy Krieger Institute’s involvement in nontherapeutic research on children—particularly research that exposes low-income, vulnerable subjects to risks without direct benefits—raises significant ethical and human rights concerns. This practice reflects poor business practices and ethical responsibility, as the exploitation of vulnerable populations in clinical research is fundamentally at odds with progressive, anti-fascist principles which demand the protection of marginalized groups.

Nontherapeutic Research with Children: Grimes v Kennedy Krieger Institute
AUG

01

2001

KKI Lead Paint Study Ethical Controversy
-6.52

The Kennedy Krieger Institute conducted a controversial lead paint study in Baltimore during the 1990s, testing low-cost abatement procedures in public housing. The study raised serious ethical concerns regarding informed consent and the exploitation of vulnerable children, eventually leading to legal challenges and scathing criticisms by the Maryland Court of Appeals.
-70

Business Practices and Ethical Responsibility

March 31

The study employed less effective, low-cost intervention methods on disadvantaged populations without fully informed consent, mirroring historical ethical abuses. This approach has been widely criticized as exploiting vulnerable children in low-income communities, demonstrating a profound lapse in ethical research practices and responsibility.

Justice and Fairness in the Kennedy Krieger Institute Lead Paint Study: the Ethics of Public Health Research on Less Expensive, Less Effective Interventions
AUG

01

2001

Grimes v. Kennedy Krieger Institute: Ethical Lapses in Pediatric Research
-3.22

The legal case Grimes v. Kennedy Krieger Institute highlighted serious ethical concerns during a lead abatement study (1993-1995) in Baltimore. The court criticized the Institute for inadequate informed consent, delayed communication of hazardous lead levels to parents, and potential exploitation of vulnerable, economically disadvantaged populations. The case raised broader questions about the integrity of research practices and the protection of children's rights in nontherapeutic studies.
-30

Public and Political Behavior

March 31

The Institute's practices in this case undermined public trust in research by failing to ensure transparent and ethically sound informed consent processes, thereby placing vulnerable populations at risk. Such actions contribute to a broader pattern of neglecting the public interest and ethical responsibilities.

Risk and Responsibility: Ethics, Grimes v Kennedy Krieger, and Public Health Research Involving Children
-40

Business Practices and Ethical Responsibility

March 31

The research design and its implementation by Kennedy Krieger Institute are criticized for exposing children to undue risks without sufficient safeguards or timely communication. These ethically questionable practices reflect a lapse in the Institute’s responsibility to protect vulnerable subjects, and raise serious concerns about institutional accountability.

Risk and Responsibility: Ethics, Grimes v Kennedy Krieger, and Public Health Research Involving Children