Ethical Issues in Global Health Research

Questions

  1. What is "informed consent"?  Who needs to be or should be informed?  Whose willing and informed consent needs to or should be sought?
  2. What are some ways a researcher might determine whether a subject has been suitably informed?  What are some of the problems in determining whether a subject has given informed consent?
  3. Can you think of a scenario in which Western understandings of "informed consent" might not apply?  What are some alternative understandings of consent?
  4. Are there instances in which one person might give consent for another person?  What are they?  How might socio-cultural context play a part in this?  How should a researcher interested in "ethical" behavior handle the situation?

Respond to the questions!

Or address an email to bioethics@hsphsun2.harvard.edu