Upon completion of class you should be able to…
1. Discuss International Research Ethics
2. Identify Issues that Arise when Conduction International Research
2. Define Informed Consent
Pre-Class Activities
Concepts and Definitions
1. Informed Consent
http://healthcare.partners.org/phsirb/infcons.htm
http://healthcare.partners.org/phsirb/nonengco.htm
http://www.who.int/rpc/research_ethics/Process_seeking_IF_printing.pdf
Required Materials
1. Read: Preparing and Complying with Institutional Review Board Protocols for Integrated Research and Entrepreneurship Ventures in Developing Countries (Bell, Dzombak, Sulewski, Mehta)
2. Read Ethics and Community Based Participatory Research (University of Washington)
Supplemental Materials
1. Watch First, Do No Harm: A Qualitative Research Documentary (Tim Holland)
<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/22008886″>First, Do No Harm: A Qualitative Research Documentary</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/muteproductions”>Tim Holland</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>
2. Read What Makes Clinical Research in Developing Countries Ethical? The Benchmarks of Ethical Research
Case Study
Lesotho is a small developing country contained within South Africa. You and your team of academic researchers (10 in all) are spending the next 2 weeks traveling to different communities throughout Lesotho to test water sources for disease-causing pathogens. The testing you need to do is simple, but requires significant assistance from the community including showing your team all of the different locations where individuals get their water from and places/methods for water storage. You don’t see the need to pay the community members, considering if someone asked you about your water source, you wouldn’t mind driving them up to the lake! The ultimate goal of the project is to understand the lifecycle and characteristics of a specific pathogen which is found only in the region of Lesotho. Several publications are expected from this research study. A comprehensive profile of this pathogen can help in many ways including development of chemical additives to make the water safe to drink. Is it ethical to conduct this research study? What will you do next?
Points to Ponder
- To what degree should communities be involved in research projects?
- How can you tell if research is valid or if participants are answering how they assume you (the researcher) want them to?
- what is more important science or entrepreneurship?
- How can scientists prevent themselves from becoming emotionally attached to the communities they work with?
- Is all Hit-and-Run research bad?
Bring to Class
- Three (3) take-aways from each of the required materials
- A list of 10 situations in which the community was particularly included in or excluded from your research project this past summer