Moralist, libertarian, & relativist ethical positions concerning suicide & its prevention are presented in order to clarify premises upon which ethical issues in suicide research may be resolved. Ethical concerns are differentiated from legal considerations & the implications of the vulnerability of suicidology research participants are discussed. Specific issues that arise in design, choice of participants, interpretation, diffusion of results, & evaluative research are treated. When specific legal obligations are lacking, ethical premises concerning the acceptability of suicide & obligations to intervene may influence research protocols. (33 refs.)