Ethics and adaptive platform trial design in public health emergencies: meeting report,18-19 July 2022, Geneva, Switzerland,

1 October 2023

| Meeting report

Overview

Platform trials using adaptive methods have played a key role in the research response to COVID-19. They raise important ethical issues, however, associated not only with the methods used but also with their scale, their global nature and their probable contribution to pandemic preparedness. This report summarizes the discussions at a 2-day meeting on the findings of five rapid reviews on the ethical aspects of adaptive platform trials after the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross-cutting themes included the importance of “lean” project management and of pre-pandemic preparedness, particularly in forming trusted relationships in international networks; challenges to meaningful community engagement, ethics review and participant consent; questions of inclusion and the implications for equitable access; factors that influence the fairness and sustainability of international partnerships, including capacity development and knowledge transfer; and governance arrangements that ensure both local and global accountability. Remaining evidence gaps were identified.

This report summarizes the key themes that emerged from the review presentations and the subsequent

discussion.

Overview

Related links