[e-drug] Ethics of clinical trials in developing countries

["Beverley Snell" <bev@burnet.edu.au>]

E-DRUG: Ethics of clinical trials in developing countries
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Hi Mark

We in our organisation have a special interest in the ethics of 
research in developing countries and and have been trying to develop 
our policy. Ethical issues have been discussed on e-drug before too. 

But one issue we have discussed is the ethics committee  that OKs a 
trial or research study.  Is it appropriate for an ethics committee 
from university or other body in a 'developed' country  to make the 
decision?

It has been argued that there are international standards for such 
ethics committees and they are much higher than the standards in the 
'developing' country.  That may or may not be.  However here are some 
issues that might not be considered in the development of trials and 
studies.

- Issues associated with consultation and collaboration
- Issues associated with data collection, ownership and access
- Methodological approaches and feasibility in the particular setting
- Strategies for dissemination of findings.

Could there be an appropriate  'partner' ethics committee in the local setting?

I would be really interested in your response, and responses from 
others of course.

Beverley Snell

-- 
Beverley Snell
Centre for International Health
Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research & Public Health
GPO Box 2284, Melbourne 3001 Australia
http://www.burnet.internationalhealth.edu.au
Telephone 613 9282 2115 / 9282 2275
Fax 61 3 9282 2144  or  9282 2100
Time zone: 10 hours ahead of GMT.
email <bev@burnet.edu.au>
Site: Alfred Medical Research & Education Precinct (AMREP),
corner Punt & Commercial Roads, Prahran 3181