Objective

To identify the evolution of the ethical principles outlined for biomedical research.

Material and methods

A narrative review of the literature was developed in the Medline, SciELO and Google Scholar databases using the science OR research descriptors, combined by the operator AND with the ethical descriptor.

Results

The analysis of the selected works allowed us to identify five predominant themes that show the validity of the analysis of ethical principles in the light of a changing reality.

Conclusion

Growing pressures to develop research studies in the academic and health field require strengthening the ethical principles to avoid that the domain of knowledge is accompanied by an important accumulation of inequalities, exclusions and social struggles leading to the create a model based on exclusively in the demands of the knowledge economy.