As fundamental part of this meeting, three working groups where established to debate case studies, round tables and main presentations. Conclusions were presented in plenary and widely discussed under the moderation of Dr. James Drane.

The closing session, chaired by Mr. Lorenzo Agar from the Regional Program on Bioethics, included the participantion of Dr. Juan Antonio Casas, Director of the Division of Health and Human Development of PAHO and Dr. Fernando Lolas, Director of the Regional Program of Bioethics of PAHO. They considered a success that the original goals of the meeting had been reached and hoped that this series of meetings would continue. They also acknowledged the local organization and thanked all those participants who had joined in making this a worthwhile initiative.

During the Forum it became increasingly clear that there are seldom right and wrong answers, particularly in such a rapidly changing world. What was more important was to build partnerships where researchers could learn from each other and exchange their views on the infinite complexity of ethics and its interpretation. The Forum was valuable in enabling participants to contribute to this exchange of views on equal terms. It also emphasized the need to achieve excellence in the analysis and interpretation of moral norms in a culturally fair context, for the purpose of ethical analysis is not only to protect subjects or increase scientific output but also to provide "ethical sustainability" to decisions and proposals aimed at the betterment of the scientific enterprise and its human relevance.


Dr. Fernando Lolas
Director
Regional Program on Bioethics
PAHO/WHO

OPAS Brazil