BIOETHICS TRAINING FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRY PROFESSIONALS/

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This grant application proposes to create a new training program in bioethics for professionals/researchers from developing countries (mostly sub-Saharan Africa) at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, in collaboration with the NIH Department of Clinical Bioethics and the Africa Malaria Vaccine Testing Network. Fourteen fellows will receive long-term training, and two short workshops in research ethics will be given in Africa. Twelve fellows will receive one year training, involving a 6 month stay at Johns Hopkins, where fellows will take a core of four bioethics courses as well as research methodology courses; sit in on IRB meetings at Johns Hopkins and the NIH; participate in seminars at Johns Hopkins and the NIH; take the Intensive Bioethics Course at Georgetown University; and take courses in the Hopkins intensive summer institute. Fellows will return to their home countries for a mentored, independent 6-month practicum in one of the four core competencies of our training program: 1) theory and principles; 2) the teaching of research ethics; 3) organization and management of ethics review boards; and 4) empirical research on research ethics. Two additional fellows will enroll in a two-year masters program (MHS) in international health, with a concentration in bioethics, from Johns Hopkins. They will take more in-depth coursework and serve as research assistants, during the first year at Johns Hopkins. They will then complete a one-year practicum in their home countries. Two workshops, one in Year 1 and one in Year 4, will be offered in Africa in collaboration with the Africa Malaria Vaccine Testing Network. Our program complements and builds on our strong existing resources in bioethics, international health research, and the training of developing country scientists. We have a world renowned Bioethics Institute with existing doctoral and postdoctoral training programs. Our school conducts more international health research than any other school of public health in the country. And for twelve years, we have had a training program in epidemiology and biostatistics for developing country scientists (the Fogarty AIDS International Training and Research Program). Thus, we have confidence in our ability to provide relevant, practical, and flexible training to these visiting professionals, as well as to respond quickly to their logistic (visa, travel) needs to ensure smooth and successful training.