Nuffield council calls for ethical framework for developing world research

A sound ethical framework for research in developing countries is crucial for ensuring that participants are safe from exploitation, says a report from the Nuffield Council on Bioethics.

But some of the measures introduced to try to offer such protection—such as arguing that participants should have access to the same standards of care made available in developed countries—are impractical and can undermine potential research opportunities, it says.

The conclusions follow a discussion paper issued by the council in 2002 and a subsequent meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, in February 2004, attended by 58 participants from 28 countries, including India, China, Kenya, and Botswana.

The discussion paper published by the council looks at the current laws governing research in developing countries, including the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki, which …