Ethics without Borders

Objectives:

1. Apply concepts of research ethics with a specific focus on research in low- and middle income countries (LMICs). 
2. Discuss each profession’s approach to the ethical issues that arise in the collaborative conduct of international research and how to address these issues in a climate of mutual respect and shared values.
3.  Discuss the responsibilities and obligations of researchers when they conduct research in international countries.

 Description: 

This session grew out of a real situation in which an interprofessional team of students and faculty conducted the World Health Organization (WHO) Safe Motherhood Needs Assessment to evaluate interventions relating to safe motherhood in a rural Malawi town.  Although none of the facts in the scenario are true, they are based on some issues that arose during the four years of the Malawi project and raise several questions about research ethics and professionalism that would be appropriate to discuss in an interprofessional setting.