A new course on ethics for implementation research is being developed with colleagues at the World Health Organization’s Global Health Ethics unit. Current training focuses on traditional health research, biomedical research and epidemiological research and there is a need to address more specifically the issues that cross multiple disciplines.
Abha Saxena, Coordinator of the WHO Global Health Ethics unit, says, “While the principles for the ethical conduct of implementation research are not different, researchers and research ethics committees world-wide are struggling with the boundaries between public health practice, research and implementation research. The development of a training course on these issues is very timely.”
The course is being developed to help researchers in low- and middle-income countries, where implementation research to investigate how to improve access and utilisation of healthcare products and services is growing. Whenever people are involved in research, there are challenges to ensure scientific integrity and protect human rights. Ethical training helps researchers ensure that the dignity, rights and welfare of research participants are protected.
A training curriculum will be written by public health ethicists and practitioners. Fifteen experts from around the globe have started the work, looking at: 1) ethical principles of public health and public health research; 2) the role of the community in implementation research; 3) ethics of data collection and public health surveillance; and 4) specific ethical issues raised by implementation research.
The course will provide future participants with the necessary knowledge and skills in ethical analysis to:
- understand key concepts of public health ethics;
- understand the importance of ethical principles in the conduct of implementation research;
- strengthen participants skills in the implementation of these ethical principles;
- assume responsibility for and apply these skills to their daily work.
This is part of a continuing TDR commitment to implementation research and training. In 2014, the Implementation Research Toolkit was launched to help strengthen capacities within disease control programmes.
For more information, contact Mahnaz Vahedi (vahedim@who.int).