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Ethics and Health at WHO

Ethics and Health at WHO. First Regional meeting of National Bioethics Committees EMRO, Cairo 5-7 th Ma y 2007. Dr. Marie-Charlotte Bouësseau Ethics, Trade, Human Rights and Health Law. Overview. History of Ethics & Health Initiative Main objectives of Ethics and Health

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Ethics and Health at WHO

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  1. Ethics and Health at WHO First Regional meeting of National Bioethics Committees EMRO, Cairo 5-7th May 2007 Dr. Marie-Charlotte Bouësseau Ethics, Trade, Human Rights and Health Law

  2. Overview History of Ethics & Health Initiative Main objectives of Ethics and Health Current areas of work and projects Collaborations

  3. History of Ethics & Health initiative

  4. Ethics & Health at WHO - HQ • Initiative launched October 2002 by the Director General • To provide a focal point for the examination of the ethical issues raised by activities throughout the organization, including the regional and country offices • To develop activities regarding a wide range of global bioethics topics • e.g. research with human beings, fair access to health services, pandemic influenza planning • Previous to this initiative, HQ departments had been very active in research ethics • e.g. training activities, normative documents, ERC • as well as RO • e.g. Programme on Bioethics in PAHO since 1994

  5. Main objectives of the Ethics & Health initiative

  6. What do we want to achieve? • To develop WHO policies and strategic approaches, ensuring ethical standards and analyses are included. • To strengthen capacity in the Member States, enabling professionals and the public to incorporate ethics into their work. • To collect and disseminate information on different aspects of ethics and health. • To contribute to international debate on ethics and health, in collaboration with international organisations (governmental and non governmental), and academic centers.

  7. How do we work? Providing support • At the three levels of the Organization for analyzing the ethical aspects of health. • To the Member States through tools and guidelines for incorporating an ethical analysis into health services delivery, health research, and public health activities.

  8. Current activities and areas of work of the Ethics and Health initiative

  9. On going work • In close collaboration with other HQ departments • Equitable access to care and treatment • e.g. Guidance on ethics and equitable access to HIV treatment and care • http://www.who.int/ethics/Guidance%20on%20Ethics%20and%20HIV.pdf • Pandemic preparedness • http://www.who.int/ethics/influenza_project/en/index.html • Human organ and tissue transplantation • Research ethics

  10. Activities on research ethics Collaboration within and outside WHO

  11. Research Ethics projects • Networking for Ethics on Biomedical Research • in Africa • A project funded by EC and completed in December 2007 • A consortium of European and African institutions working with WHO in 15 West African countries. • 2 main outcomes: • A survey of ethical review of health research in the 15 countries • Strategic plan to improve ethics of research for health in those countries

  12. Elements of a sustainable strategy • Quantitative and • qualitative indicators Outcome Improved ethical review process • Output • Guidance documents • Educational programs • Web site • Process • Capacity building • Networking • Input • Human resources • Financial resources • Infrastructures

  13. Research Ethics projects (cont.) Series of training activities: • Ibadan (Feb 07) - EDCTP • Tunis (March 07) – collaboration with RHR • Ouagadougou (July 07) – PATH and RHR • Gabon (07) – EDCTP TRREE for Africa – EDCTP http://trree.org/site/en_trree_home.phtml

  14. Research Ethics projects (cont.) Global Forum on Bioethics in Research • A venue for delegates from developing and developed countries to debate the ethical issues surrounding international collaborative research • The discussion is based on concrete cases • The next forum will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania, and will focus on 2 main issues: • Fostering the research ethics infrastructure in the developing world / transition societies • Ethical aspects of mental health research • A satellite meeting will be organized to address issues related to vaccine research (IVR with Ethics and Health)

  15. Collaborations

  16. Characteristics of the collaboration on ethics and health • Based on synergies between WHO and other international organisations, regional and national initiative bodies e.g. elaboration and dissemination of normative documents • Contribute to strengthen local capacity and avoid duplication of initiatives e.g. implementation of training activities • Requires active partnerships which include all relevant stake holders e.g. participation of patient's organisations

  17. 42nd session of the regional committee of the Eastern Mediterranean (1995) discussed the EMRO technical paper on Ethics of medicine and health and insisted on the following needs:- Detailed code for health ethics to guide the countries of the region.- More collaboration on ethics between organisations concerned.- Compulsory course on ethics of medicine and health to be included in undergraduate curricula.

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