Reconsidering the Nuremburg Code, the Declaration of Helsinki, and CIOMS guidelines in the context of the war in Ukraine
This course module examines new challenges to health-related research in the disaster settings, particularly that of the war in Ukraine. This is the first time in history where war has significantly impacted a country and region where a large amount of clinical research is undertaken. The course will review testimonials from scientists, doctors, and regulatory authorities on how they have experienced the impact of war on clinical research, particularly that of patients and their healthcare. The findings of the Ukraine Clinical Research Support Initiative (UCRSI) an other leading health-related initiatives in Ukraine and the region are investigated. The participants will be confronted with new ethics questions as they arise in the context of war as well as in the contexts of natural and humanitarian disasters. The leading international ethics guidances for health-related research are considered in the context of the present situation and the United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Reduction. We ask the questions: Are our international ethics codes for health-related research sufficient to respond to the needs of patients, communities, countries, and regions in the grip of a disaster? What did we learn from our response in bioethics to COVID-19? And why does that response continue to come up short in contexts of war and significant societal disruptions?
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