Research Project
6395023
This proposal develops and implements a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary program of studies in research bioethics designed after analyzing existing efforts in Latin American universities. It aims at human resource capacity building in the context of biomedical, behavioral, and epidemiological research and focuses on academic researchers, ethics committee members, and officers/policy-makers in private and public institutions. Drawing from an extensive faculty composed of American, European, and Latin American academics, the program develops a culturally-sensitive, regionally-relevant research bioethics, rooted in local practices expanded by the example and experience of research traditions in developed countries. The University of Chile, associated with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain, has developed and taught for the last four years a masters-level course in general and clinical bioethics which provides some foundation to this proposal and relies on PAHO Representatives in every country of the Latin American and Caribbean Region (the Region) for tracking and continuous contact with graduates. The multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional goal of homogenizing curricula is complemented by monographic short courses meeting specific needs of particular groups. A committee derived from an existing advisory board on bioethics to the PAHO Director as well as representatives of researchers, professionals and the public at large supervises the program. The expected outcome is a cadre of professionals conversant with methods and procedures in research bioethics, which may influence planning, funding, and conduct of ethically sustainable biomedical, behavioral and epidemiological research. It is also expected that this program will contribute to strengthening the dialogical foundation of intercultural research.
