Global Forum on Bioethics in Research
7 March 2005
The 6th Global Forum on Bioethics in Research, organised by the Wellcome Trust, will take place in Malawi from 17-19 March 2005. The event will focus on “What happens when the research is over? Post-trial responsibilities of researchers and sponsors”. The meeting brings together 150 delegates of wide-ranging backgrounds, from over 40 countries for a programme of case-study-based discussions and open debate.
Questions to be addressed include:
- Who should be provided with the intervention – the participants in the trial, the wider community, or the whole country?
- Who should provide continuing healthcare, especially if this incurs considerable expense – researchers, funders, sponsors, or national governments?
- How long should ongoing treatment carry on for – the duration of the project, a set amount of time afterwards, or a lifetime?
- What are the implications of research on existing local healthcare systems?
The Forum is being supported by a consortium of funders, including the Trust, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the European Commission, the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Rockefeller Foundation. Aims are to:
- Maintain and strengthen the protection of people in medical research
- Provide a forum for developing country views on ethical issues in research
- Develop capacity for ethical review of research
Create a dialogue between different stakeholders to enable responsible research
To coincide with the 6th Forum, the Wellcome Trust will also launch its own advice document for researchers working in developing countries. Watch our news page for updates.
