Research ethics in emerging infectious disease outbreaks: an international perspective

The aims of this research project are to:

• Examine the ethical issues arising during research practice in disease outbreak settings including avian influenza, H1N1 influenza, and SARS, and
• To develop an ethical framework capable of addressing these ethical issues in ways which take account of both socio-cultural factors, the broader global perspective and, the emergency and unpredictability nature of these disease outbreaks.
• The study will be carried out across a number of settings in which acute epidemic avian influenza or SARS have occurred. These include: Viet Nam, Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong. Relevant key stakeholders who have been involved in outbreak research - including research sponsors/funders, investigators, ethical review boards, health care providers and research subjects - will be invited to discuss their field experiences and opinions about the ethical issues that they have encountered.

This doctoral research project is co-funded by the Wellcome Trust Vietnam Major Overseas Programme in Ho Chi Minh City and an Ethox Centre Wellcome Trust Studentship. It will be carried out under the supervision of Professor Michael Parker, Professor Jeremy Farrar, Dr Philippe Calain, and Dr. Thuy Le.