Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T17:09:21.739Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Research Capacity Strengthening in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Ethical Explorations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2021

Abstract

With developed country governments and high resource institutions engaging in research in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), we argue that these entities have a moral obligation to help build and strengthen research infrastructure and capacity so local scientists and institutions can adequately conduct studies to understand and resolve the health burdens in low and middle income countries. We explore the moral justifications and motivations behind engaging in research capacity strengthening in the health sector in LMIC at multiple levels. In highlighting these issues, this paper aims to initiate a global discourse around why capacity development in LMIC has a moral basis at the individual, institutional and system levels.

Type
Independent Articles
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics 2017

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

United Nations Development Programme, Capacity Assessment and Development in a Systems and Strategic Management (1998), available at <http://www.cbd.int/doc/pa/tools/Capacity%20assessment%20and%20development.pdf> (last visited February 9, 2017).+(last+visited+February+9,+2017).>Google Scholar
Nuyens, Y., “No Development Without Research: A Challenge for Capacity Strengthening,” Global Forum for Health Research (2005): available at <http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Publications/Detail/?ots591=0c54e3b3-1e9c-be1e-2c24-a6a8c7060233&lng=en&id=128224> (last visited February 9, 2017); M. A. Lansang and R. Dennis, “Building Capacity in Health Research in the Developing World,” Bulletin of the World Health Organization 82, no. 10 (2004): 764-770.Google Scholar
Id. (Lansang and Dennis).Google Scholar
See Nuyens, supra note 2.Google Scholar
Ravishankar, N., Gubbins, P., Cooley, R. J., Leach-Kemon, K., Michaud, C. M., Jamison, D. T. and Murray, C. J., “Financing of Global Health: Tracking Development Assistance for Health from 1990 to 2007,” The Lancet 373, no. 9681 (2009): 2113-2124.Google Scholar
Young, J. and Kannemeyer, N., “Building Capacity in Southern Research: A Study to Map Existing Initiatives,” Overseas Development Institute (London, 2001), available at <http://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/3737.pdf> (last visited February 9, 2017).Google Scholar
Department for International Development, DFID Research Strategy 2008-2013 Working Paper Series: Capacity Building (London, 2008): available at <http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/PDF/Outputs/Consultation/ResearchStrategyWorkingPaperfinal_capacity_P1.pdf> (last visited February 9, 2017); Department for International Development, Capacity Building in Research (2010), available at <http://bsuhh.org/fileadmin/user_upload/bsu-ge/Other_Reports/How_To_Note_Research_Capacity_Building.pdf> (last visited February 9, 2017).+(last+visited+February+9,+2017);+Department+for+International+Development,+Capacity+Building+in+Research+(2010),+available+at++(last+visited+February+9,+2017).>Google Scholar
See Lansang and Dennis, supra note 2; Whitworth, J. A. G., Kokwaro, G., Kinyanjui, S., Snewin, V. A., Tanner, M., Wal-port, M. and Sewankamboe, N., “Strengthening Capacity for Health Research in Africa,” The Lancet 372, no. 9649 (2008): 1590-1593.Google Scholar
Bennett, S., Adam, T., Zarowsky, C., Tangcharoensathien, V., Ranson, K., Evans, T., Mills, A., and Alliance STAC, “From Mexico to Mali: Progress in Health Policy and Systems Research,” The Lancet 372 (2008): 1571-1578; S. Bennett, L. Paina, C. Kim, I. Agyepong, S. Chunharas, D. McIntyre, and S. Nachuk, “What Must Be Done to Enhance Capacity for Health Systems Research?” available at <http://healthsystemsresearch.org/hsr2010/images/stories/4enhance_capacity.pdf> (last visited February 9, 2017).Google Scholar
Igneski, V., “Perfect and Imperfect Duties to Aid,” Social Theory and Practice 32, no. 3 (2006): 439-446.Google Scholar
See Igneski, supra note 13.Google Scholar
Viens, A. M., “Public Health, Ethical Behavior and Reciprocity,” American Journal of Bioethics 8, no. 5 (2008): 1-3; discussion: W1-3.Google Scholar
Montada, L., “Understanding Oughts by Assessing Moral Reasoning or Moral Emotions,” in Noam, G. G. and Wren, T. E., eds., The Moral Self (Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1993): at 292-309; E. Donnerstein, M. Donnerstein, and G. Munger, “Helping Behavior as a Function of Pictorially Induced Moods,” Journal of Social Psychology 97 (1975): 221-225.Google Scholar
Tangney, J. P., Stuewig, J., and Mashek, D. J., “Moral Emotions and Moral Behavior,” Annual Review of Psychology 58, (2007): 345-372.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kroll, J. and Egan, E., “Psychiatry, Moral Worry, and the Moral Emotions,” Journal of Psychiatric Practice 10, no. 6 (2004): 352-360.Google Scholar
See Tangney, Stuewing, and Mashek, supra note 17.Google Scholar
Ijsselmuiden, C. B., Kass, N. E., Sewankamb, K. N., and Lavery, J. V., “Evolving Values in Ethics and Global Health Research,” Global Public Health 5, no. 2 (2010): 154-163; S. R. Benatar and P. A. Singer, “Responsibilities in International Research: A New Look Revisited,” Journal of Medical Ethics 36, no. 4 (2010): 194-197.Google Scholar
Gould, C., “Transnational Solidarities,” Journal of Social Philosophy 38, no. 1 (2007): 146-162.Google Scholar
See Gould, supra note 21.Google Scholar
Id., at 157.Google Scholar
Post, S. G., ed., Altruism and Health: Perspectives from Empirical Research (New York: Oxford University Press, 2007).Google Scholar
Williams, A., “Intergenerational Equity: An Exploration of the ‘Fair Innings’ Argument,” Health Economics 6, no. 2 (1997): 117-132.3.0.CO;2-B>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Daniels, N., “Justice, Health, and Healthcare,” American Journal of Bioethics 1, no. 2 (2001): 2-16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Daniels, N., Just Health: Meeting Health Needs Fairly (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008).Google Scholar
Pratt, B., Zion, D., and Loff, B., “Evaluating the Capacity of Theories of Justice to Serve as a Justice Framework for International Clinical Research,” American Journal of Bioethics 12, no. 11 (2012): 30-41.Google Scholar
Id.; Pratt, B. and Loff, B., “A Framework to Link International Clinical Research to the Promotion of Justice in Global Health,” Bioethics 28, no. 8 (2014): 387-396.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pogge, T., World Poverty and Human Rights: Cosmopolitan Responsibilities and Reforms (Cambridge, MA: Polity Press, 2008).Google Scholar
Hollis, A. and Pogge, T., “The Health Impact Fund: Making New Medicines Accessible for All,” Incentives for Global Health (2008), available at <http://www.who.int/pmnch/topics/economics/20100505_medicinesaccessible/en/> (last visited February 9, 2017).+(last+visited+February+9,+2017).>Google Scholar
Beauchamp, T. L. and Childress, J. F., Principles of Biomedical Ethics (New York: Oxford University Press, 2008).Google Scholar
Kant, I., Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals, H. J. Paton, Trans., (New York: Harper and Row, 1964).Google Scholar
Scheffler, S., Boundaries and Allegiances: Problems of Justice and Responsibility in Liberal Thought (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001).Google Scholar