This case describes and reflects on ethical questions that we faced as we obtained permission to conduct research on local government policy implementation processes in India, which has no legal guidelines or REBs for ethical oversight of social science research. We focus on questions of voluntary consent and exposure to unintended risks, where, in this case, staff in local governments might feel coerced to participate based on the institutional permission to conduct research granted by their superiors.

This case study touches on issues that may arise in international development research, with reflections based on experiences conducting research in Peru. The two issues to be discussed are that of cultural differences in the consent documentation process, and ensuring that the benefits of research flow back to research participants.

The role of asymmetry and positionality of the researcher-research participant relationship is important for research ethics in international development. However, discourse should take into account instances where 'reverse asymmetry' may exist, and consider developing different strategies and concerns for researchers to consider in this context.

The role of asymmetry and positionality of the researcher-research participant relationship is important for research ethics in international development. However, discourse should take into account instances where 'reverse asymmetry' may exist, and consider developing different strategies and concerns for researchers to consider in this context.

This case study outlines an ethics approval process experienced during a maternal health research project in Nepal. The Government of Nepal established the Nepal Health Research Council in 1991, along with the Scientific and Ethics Committee reviewing health related research. However, not all researchers apply for ethics approval. Although researchers may claim a lack of clarity on the kinds of research studies needing approval, the authors argue that the guidelines are sufficiently clear if explored and duly followed. The inconsistencies in (...) seeking ethics approval from NHRC could simply mean that researchers are not aware of this ethical review process. Perhaps the guidelines are not strictly enforced. Nevertheless, as researchers it is our responsibility to seek ethical approval as a matter of principle, without considering it a barrier to research. (shrink)

This case study outlines an ethics approval process experienced during a maternal health research project in Nepal. The Government of Nepal established the Nepal Health Research Council in 1991, along with the Scientific and Ethics Committee reviewing health related research. However, not all researchers apply for ethics approval. Although researchers may claim a lack of clarity on the kinds of research studies needing approval, the authors argue that the guidelines are sufficiently clear if explored and duly followed. The inconsistencies in (...) seeking ethics approval from NHRC could simply mean that researchers are not aware of this ethical review process. Perhaps the guidelines are not strictly enforced. Nevertheless, as researchers it is our responsibility to seek ethical approval as a matter of principle, without considering it a barrier to research. (shrink)

This case study illustrates the author's narrative of his experience obtaining local research ethics approval in Tanzania. It highlights the additional requirements a foreign researcher in Tanzania can encounter with visa approval which is a separate process from research ethics approval. While fulfilling the visa requirements may not be directly related to the ethical administration of research per se, it is part of the responsible conduct of research which, among others, includes respect for the local laws and procedures of the (...) host country. The narrative shows that a responsible access to field data in such cases requires fulfilling two separate but complimentary processes: local research ethics review and proper visa attainment. Further, an example of an 'irresponsible' access to data is also presented for comparison and examination of the consequences. (shrink)

Determining the process for obtaining local research ethics approval, or whether such a requirement even exists, may not always be straightforward in the context of some developing countries where such information may not be easily accessible to overseas researchers. How far do a researcher's ethical obligations extend in determining whether there is a requirement for local research ethics approval, and what form this would take? In other words, how far should a researcher be expected to go in seeking out local (...) ethics approval, especially where such information is not readily available? As part of this discussion, this case study describes the steps that I took as the principal researcher, before I was able to reasonably conclude that no national ethics approval requirement existed in Guyana for my particular research, which involved interviewing justice service providers about the implementation of Guyana's Domestic Violence Act. Drawing on this experience, I discuss various considerations that an international development researcher should bear in mind when planning and conducting research that seeks to meet leading international norms of research ethics. (shrink)

With increasing calls for global health research there is growing concern regarding the ethical challenges encountered by researchers from high-income countries (HICs) working in low or middle-income countries (LMICs). There is a dearth of literature on how to address these challenges in practice. In this article, we conduct a critical analysis of three case studies of research conducted in LMICs. We apply emerging ethical guidelines and principles specific to global health research and offer practical strategies that researchers ought to consider. (...) We present case studies in which Canadian health professional students conducted a health promotion project in a community in Honduras; a research capacity-building program in South Africa, in which Canadian students also worked alongside LMIC partners; and a community-university partnered research capacity-building program in which Ecuadorean graduate students, some working alongside Canadian students, conducted community-based health research projects in Ecuadorean communities. We examine each case, identifying ethical issues that emerged and how new ethical paradigms being promoted could be concretely applied. We conclude that research ethics boards should focus not only on protecting individual integrity and human dignity in health studies but also on beneficence and non-maleficence at the community level, explicitly considering social justice issues and local capacity-building imperatives. We conclude that researchers from HICs interested in global health research must work with LMIC partners to implement collaborative processes for assuring ethical research that respects local knowledge, cultural factors, the social determination of health, community participation and partnership, and making social accountability a paramount concern. (shrink)

Biomedical research is increasingly globalized with ever more research conducted in low and middle-income countries. This trend raises a host of ethical concerns and critiques. While community engagement has been proposed as an ethically important practice for global biomedical research, there is no agreement about what these practices contribute to the ethics of research, or when they are needed.