Addressing Global Data Sharing Challenges.

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Global Health Research Ethics
• Research Data Management

Background:

• Sharing research data is a recognized best practice.
• Significant ethical barriers hinder data sharing from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• Existing guidance and examples for navigating these challenges are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify common ethical challenges in data sharing from LMICs.
• To provide practical advice and resources for researchers.
• To offer examples of successful data sharing initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Review of articles within a special issue of the Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics.
• Thematic analysis of identified challenges across five countries.
• Focus on four key areas: informed consent, data management, data dissemination, and validation.

Main Results:

• Common ethical challenges identified in informed consent processes.
• Difficulties in effective data management and secure storage.
• Complexities surrounding data dissemination and accessibility.
• Issues related to the validation of research contributions and authorship.

Conclusions:

• Addressing ethical concerns in data sharing is crucial for global research.
• Practical strategies and resources are needed to overcome data sharing barriers in LMICs.
• Successful navigation of these challenges requires tailored approaches and collaborative efforts.