Ethical challenges for international collaborative research partnerships in the context of the Zika outbreak in the Dominican Republic: a qualitative case study
Ethical challenges for international collaborative research partnerships in the context of the Zika outbreak in the Dominican Republic: a qualitative case study
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DOI：
10.1186/s12961-017-0246-0
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发表时间：
2017-09-25
影响因子：
4
通讯作者：
Rafael Mendoza, Eddys
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Canario Guzman, Julio Arturo;Espinal, Roberto;Rafael Mendoza, Eddys
背景资料：在爆发具有国际重要性的传染病时，建立国际合作研究伙伴关系被认为是一项道德义务。低收入和中等收入国家薄弱的卫生研究系统可能成为实现知识生成目标和在传染病爆发之前、期间和之后寻求卫生公平的障碍。进行了一项定性案例研究，以确定多米尼加共和国在寨卡疫情及其伦理背景下发展国际合作研究伙伴关系方面面临的挑战和机遇。影响研究人员在两个大城市对39名参与者（23名男性; 16名女性）进行了34次访谈（30名个人; 4名团体），这些参与者分别来自政府、大学、国际捐助机构、非政府组织、社区组织和医学会。结果：确定了5个与寨卡病毒相关的国际合作研究项目。主要的伦理挑战与卫生研究的管理、人力资源培训、科学活动的制度化、获得研究资金和文化方面有关。能力建设不一定是某些伙伴关系协定的组成部分。除了少数例外，当地研究人员只是参与数据收集，很少参与界定问题。结论：多米尼加政府和研究利益相关者可以通过积极参与国际合作研究伙伴关系，为国际应对寨卡病毒做出贡献;然而，公众认识到需要将卫生研究作为公共政策努力的一部分是必要的。由政府领导并由国家和国际研究利益相关者组成的工作组将是确定该国如何应对疫情爆发时产生新知识的道德需求的关键。
Background: The establishment of international collaborative research partnerships in times of infectious disease outbreaks of international importance has been considered an ethical imperative. Frail health research systems in low-and middle-income countries can be an obstacle to achieve the goal of knowledge generation and the search for health equity before, during and after infectious disease outbreaks.Methods: A qualitative case study was conducted to identify the challenges and opportunities facing the Dominican Republic with regards to developing international collaborative research partnerships in the context of the Zika outbreak and its ethical implications. Researchers conducted 34 interviews (n = 30 individual; n = 4 group) with 39 participants (n = 23 males; n = 16 females) representing the government, universities, international donor agencies, non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and medical societies, in two metropolitan cities.Results: Five international collaborative research projects related to the Zika virus were identified. Major ethical challenges were linked to the governance of health research, training of human resources, the institutionalisation of scientific activity, access to research funds and cultural aspects. Capacity-building was not necessarily a component of some partnership agreements. With few exceptions, local researchers were merely participating in data collection and less on defining the problem. Opportunities for collaborative work included the possibility of participation in international research consortiums through calls for proposals.Conclusions: The Dominican government and research stakeholders can contribute to the international response to the Zika virus through active participation in international collaborative research partnerships; however, public recognition of the need to embrace health research as part of public policy efforts is warranted. A working group led by the government and formed by national and international research stakeholders will be key to identify ways in which the country could respond to the ethical demand of generating new knowledge in times of outbreaks.