ARESA - Advancing Research Ethics training in Southern Africa

描述（由申请人提供）：南部非洲推进研究伦理培训（ARESA）计划将通过向医疗保健和其他研究伦理专业人员提供研究生文凭/硕士水平的教育计划，并通过为研究伦理委员会（REC）成员建立国家网络，促进南部非洲负责任的研究。南非斯泰伦博斯大学的生物伦理小组和美国北卡罗来纳大学教堂山分校的生物伦理中心将利用IRENSA项目建立的研究伦理基础，通过开发一套研究伦理课程，纳入卫生研究领域的广泛伦理问题，包括定性研究伦理、心理健康研究伦理、土著人口基因研究和儿科研究。课程将特别关注与研究设计和方法相关的伦理问题，以回应当地研究伦理委员会的当地需求，并通过强调传染病（艾滋病毒和结核病）和新出现的慢性病研究提出的伦理挑战，反映南部非洲弱势群体面临的健康状况。每年将选出10名南部非洲受训人员，在斯泰伦博斯大学生物伦理股参加3个为期两周的密集互动研究伦理单元，接触研究伦理委员会的审议，并完成实习作业。为了促进职业发展，受训人员将得到ARESA教员的个别指导，以建立研究方法、手稿编写和赠款写作方面的能力，并编制一套研究培训材料，供其本国机构使用。为了扩大全国的研究伦理能力，我们将在网上出版一份由学员驱动的南非研究伦理委员会（SAREC）通讯，在开普敦组织一次年度会议，并发起成立一个南非研究伦理委员会协会。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Advancing Research Ethics training in Southern Africa (ARESA) program will promote responsible research in southern Africa by offering a postgraduate Diploma/Masters level educational program to health care and other professionals in research ethics and by developing a national network for Research Ethics Committee (REC) members. The Bioethics Unit at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa and the Centre for Bioethics, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, USA will strengthen and expand local and regional African capacity using the foundation in research ethics built by the IRENSA program by developing a research ethics curriculum incorporating a broad range of ethical issues across the health research spectrum, including ethics of qualitative research, mental health research, genetic research with indigenous populations, and pediatric research. The curriculum will devote special attention to ethical issues related to research design and methodology in response to the local needs of local research ethics committees, and reflect health conditions faced by vulnerable populations in Southern Africa by emphasizing the ethical challenges raised by research on infectious diseases (HIV and TB) and emerging chronic diseases. Ten Southern African trainees per year will be selected to participate in 3 two-week intensive and interactive research ethics modules at the University of Stellenbosch Bioethics Unit, be exposed to research ethics committee deliberations, and complete a practicum assignment. To enhance career development, trainees will be individually mentored by ARESA faculty to build capacity in research methodology, manuscript preparation and grant-writing, and to develop a package of research training materials to be used at their home institutions. To expand research ethics capacity nationally, we will publish a trainee-driven South African Research Ethics Committee (SAREC) newsletter online, organize an annual ARESA conference in Cape Town, and initiate the formation of an association of South African research ethics committees. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: With its high infectious disease burden and vast populations of treatment naove patients, Southern Africa is a highly sought after venue for biomedical and other research involving human participants. However, local capacity in the ethical conduct and regulation of research in the region remains incomplete and under-developed. This program will contribute to public health by enhancing the responsible conduct of research and by helping to maintain trust between research institutions, researchers and communities.