指在特定研究計畫的情境中，個體在充分保護自身利益方面的能力可能不足。此現象可能歸因於受限的決策能力或社會資源（如權利、機會或權力），且特定的個體或群體皆可能依各自情況，在不同程度或時間上經歷易受傷害性。

A diminished ability to fully safeguard one’s own interests in the context of a specific research project. This may be caused by limited decision making capacity or limited access to social goods, such as rights, opportunities, and power. Individuals or groups may experience vulnerability to different degrees and at different times, depending on their circumstances.

中文釋義翻譯自英文釋義之資料來源。

TCPS2; Canadian Institutes of Health Research [CIHR], Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada [NSERC], & Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada [SSHRC] (2023). Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans. p.279. https://ethics.gc.ca/eng/policy-politique_tcps2-eptc2_2022.html  

• 原則上「單字中英文釋義」欄位的內容皆採用原文引用（即未經改寫），僅少部分內容有經微幅文字編輯。若欲對釋義內容有更深入的瞭解，敬請參考「資料來源」欄位所提供之原始出處的完整內容。
• 資料來源無編號：代表釋義內容出自同一筆來源。
• 資料來源有項目符號：代表釋義內容是引用多筆來源合寫而成。
• 資料來源有編號：代表該來源是相同編號之釋義內容的原始出處。