Ethical standards for research during public health emergencies: Distilling existing guidance to support COVID-19 R&D

Overview

There is an ethical imperative to conduct research during public health emergencies, as some research questions can be adequately investigated only in emergency contexts. Since the 2003 outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the 2009-2010 H1N1 influenza pandemic, and the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, authoritative guidance has been produced on how to conduct ethical research during emergencies. To ensure ethical research during the COVID-19 outbreak, we summarize the key universal ethical standards. They should be adhered to by researchers, review bodies, funders, publishers, and manufacturers during an emergency.