6th Global Forum on Bioethics in Research: Steering committee and candidate selection

Steering committee

  • Chair: Bella Starling (Wellcome Trust, UK)
  • Aissatou Toure Balde (Developing Countries Coordinating Committee, European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership, Senegal)
  • Zulfiqar Bhutta (Aga Khan University, Pakistan)
  • Alex Capron (World Health Organization, Switzerland)
  • David Coles (European Commission, Belgium)
  • Imogen Evans/Joan Box (UK Medical Research Council, UK)
  • Karen Hofman (Fogarty International Center, USA)
  • Carel IJsselmuiden (Council on Health Research for Development, Switzerland)
  • Eugenia Lamas (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, France)
  • Florencia Luna (Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, Argentina)
  • Joseph Mfutso-Bengo (University of Malawi, Malawi).

Selection of delegates

The 6th Global Forum on Bioethics in Research (GFBR6) Steering Committee asks all those interested in attending the 6th Forum to complete an application procedure. Candidates can be self-funded, or apply for funded places. Funded places will be given to successful low- and middle-income country applicants.

The application procedure requires, in writing:

  • a brief statement explaining why you would like to take part in the Forum, how you think you would benefit, and how you might be able to contribute. We would be particularly interested to hear of difficult ethical issues that you have encountered in respect to externally sponsored health research and how they were addressed (not more than 500 words)
  • a short (one page) CV
  • a description of your current work (150 words)
  • a list of recent publications, especially those relating to the theme of this Forum
  • name and contact details of one referee.

The application deadline was 24 November 2004.

The GFBR6 Steering Committee decided on successful candidates (both self-funded and those applying for funded places) in December 2004. The decision criteria included the following factors:

  • country of origin - the Forum would like to ensure a representative distribution of delegates from different regions
  • background/current area of expertise - the Forum is aimed at researchers, ethicists, policy makers, field workers etc. and benefits from representation of many different disciplines
  • membership of an IRB - membership of an IRB is not a prerequisite for attending a Forum, but may be taken into consideration
  • experience of ethics – the organisers of the Forum hope to encourage a mixture of 'old' and 'new' faces, so that delegates can productively discuss issues of concern to them and gain from the perspectives of others. Applicants need not necessarily be experts in ethics
  • reasons for attending the meeting - we hope to attract delegates who will be able to actively contribute to the meeting and who expect to impact on research ethics/pursue a career in research ethics in their own country.

Delegates will be informed of the decision of the GFBR6 Steering Committee as soon as possible in December.

Home  >  Education resources  >  Courses and conferences  >  Biomedical ethics  > GFBR steering committee and candidate selection