Ethical challenges for international collaborative research partnerships in the context of the Zika outbreak in the Dominican Republic: a qualitative case study

Autor: Roberto Espinal, Eddys Rafael Mendoza, Patricia Antonia Pérez Rosario, Julio Arturo Canario Guzmán, Ricardo Elías Melgen, Jeannette Baez
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2017
Předmět:
Male
International Cooperation
education
Public policy
0603 philosophy
ethics and religion

Capacity-building
Developing countries
Disease Outbreaks
Zika virus
Health research systems
Research ethics
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Political science
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Cooperative Behavior
Qualitative Research
Health policy
health care economics and organizations
Health equity
Government
biology
Zika Virus Infection
business.industry
Research
Health Policy
lcsh:Public aspects of medicine
Dominican Republic
1. No poverty
Health services research
Capacity building
lcsh:RA1-1270
06 humanities and the arts
Public relations
16. Peace & justice
biology.organism_classification
Caribbean region
3. Good health
Research networks
Female
060301 applied ethics
business
Zdroj: Health Research Policy and Systems, Vol 15, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2017)
Health Research Policy and Systems
ISSN: 1478-4505
DOI: 10.1186/s12961-017-0246-0
Popis: Background The establishment of international collaborative research partnerships in times of infectious disease outbreaks of international importance has been considered an ethical imperative. Frail health research systems in low- and middle-income countries can be an obstacle to achieve the goal of knowledge generation and the search for health equity before, during and after infectious disease outbreaks. Methods A qualitative case study was conducted to identify the challenges and opportunities facing the Dominican Republic with regards to developing international collaborative research partnerships in the context of the Zika outbreak and its ethical implications. Researchers conducted 34 interviews (n = 30 individual; n = 4 group) with 39 participants (n = 23 males; n = 16 females) representing the government, universities, international donor agencies, non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and medical societies, in two metropolitan cities. Results Five international collaborative research projects related to the Zika virus were identified. Major ethical challenges were linked to the governance of health research, training of human resources, the institutionalisation of scientific activity, access to research funds and cultural aspects. Capacity-building was not necessarily a component of some partnership agreements. With few exceptions, local researchers were merely participating in data collection and less on defining the problem. Opportunities for collaborative work included the possibility of participation in international research consortiums through calls for proposals. Conclusions The Dominican government and research stakeholders can contribute to the international response to the Zika virus through active participation in international collaborative research partnerships; however, public recognition of the need to embrace health research as part of public policy efforts is warranted. A working group led by the government and formed by national and international research stakeholders will be key to identify ways in which the country could respond to the ethical demand of generating new knowledge in times of outbreaks.
Databáze: OpenAIRE