Can the ethics of performing research in developing nations be  separated from the broader issues of Human Rights?

Should the ethics of research on the very poor be discussed in isolation from the issues of maldistribution of wealth and of health care resources between and within nations? If no, will this hold urgent research hostage to interminable (and perhaps ineffectual) debates over large questions transcending health care? If yes, are researchers in any way complicit with these inequities?

Setting the research agenda: balancing the priorities of the community, the researcher and the country

Responsibility of the developing country hosts including the scientist, the NGO/ community representative, the Ministry of Health Responsibility of sponsors government /NGOs/ industry examples that work

Negotiating an agreement with the sponsor prior to the research taking place

Lessons learned from the NIH biodiversity program other examples

Inducements to the individual or the community

- Is any gift or community benefit provided by the sponsors of the research to the community of those studied appropriate or morally required? Could this be seen as a negative in some circumstances?

- Is consent fully voluntary when a potential subject has no other opportunity to obtain treatment? If not, is full voluntariness a requirement of ethical research?

Translation of research into practice
- Ensuring that results are disseminated
- Ensuring that funding is available
- Ensuring that infrastructure is available

Rules and Guidelines for conducting ethical research in developing countries

- The role of international guidelines in promulgating justice concerns as applied to population research. What are the limitations of current guidelines?

- Protections for especially vulnerable populations such as indigenous communities or victims of abuse or war in developing country settings

- May different ethical standards be used (e.g. for voluntariness, quality of informed consent, and provision of "best available proven treatment") when the proposed study is done on behalf of and for the benefit of members of the subjects' group (country, ethnic group, relatives)? Does this suggest an ethics of sacrifice for the group that is ruled out for research in developed countries, and is this acceptable? Does this depend on the ethics of the host country and target population?

OPAS Brazil