Biomedical Research Ethics in Developing Countries: Applying Global Guidelines to Local Contexts

Abstract

Biomedical research in developing countries is increasing due to technological advancements and a renewed international focus on the health of the world’s poor. The ethics of this research are complex, and engineers working in international health research need a solid understanding of these complexities. Global ethical guidelines outlined in the World Medical Association’s (WMA) Declaration of Helsinki provide a framework for the policies of national and institutional ethics review boards (ERBs). The evaluation provided by these boards guides the challenging process of applying global guidelines to local contexts in developing countries. In this setting the potential for exploitation rooted in the vulnerabilities of research participants is high. Three case studies of clinical trial research expose these vulnerabilities and demonstrate how nuanced ethical evaluation can be. Capacity building of ERBs in developing countries is an essential step towards promoting more ethical research in the developing world.