Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Ethics in Research

Ethics in Research

Today, scientists agree that good research is ethical in nature and is guided by a basic respect for human dignity and safety. However, this has not always been the case. Modern researchers must demonstrate that the research they perform is ethically sound.

Ethics and Bioethics

Ethics and Bioethics

Ethics is a philosophical study of moral actions. Ethics attempts to determine what is valuable for individuals and society. It examines the rational justification of moral judgments and analyzes what is morally just, fair, and right. Bioethics is a sub-discipline of applied ethics that analyzes the philosophical, social, and legal issues in life sciences and medicine. Ethical theories serve as a foundation for decision-making and represent the viewpoints from which people seek direction. They...

Nursing Ethical Principles I

Nursing Ethical Principles I

Ethical principles serve as the moral compass in the longstanding tradition of nursing, guiding healthcare professionals in their interactions with patients and families. These principles, namely autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and fidelity, provide a robust framework for navigating the ethical complexities of daily nursing practice.
Autonomy
Autonomy underscores the significance of a patient's self-determination and freedom from external control. In healthcare, respecting the...

Nursing Ethical Principles II

Nursing Ethical Principles II

Ethical principles are essential in guiding nurses to fulfill their responsibilities, focusing on the quality of nursing care and decision-making. These principles, including autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and fidelity, shape the ethical framework within healthcare settings.
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's cancer...

Ethical Issues

Ethical Issues

Nurses are essential in patient care, upholding the ethical principles of their profession and effectively navigating ethical dilemmas. Neglecting ethical issues can lead to inadequate patient care, compromised therapeutic relationships, and moral distress among healthcare workers.
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:

Ethical Dilemmas I

Ethical Dilemmas I

Ethical dilemmas in nursing are of utmost importance, as they often arise from the tension between adhering to core ethical principles and the practical realities of healthcare delivery. These dilemmas require nurses to navigate complex situations where competing ethical considerations pull them in different directions.
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Feedback of individual genetic and genomics research results: A qualitative study involving grassroots communities in Uganda.

PloS one·2022

Same author

Ethical and human rights considerations in public health in low and middle-income countries: an assessment using the case of Uganda's responses to COVID-19 pandemic.

BMC medical ethics·2020

Same author

Nature and history of the CIOMS International Ethical Guidelines and implications for local implementation: A perspective from East Africa.

Developing world bioethics·2019

Same author

Bioethical reflexivity and requirements of valid consent: conceptual tools.

BMC medical ethics·2019

Same author

African bioethics: methodological doubts and insights.

BMC medical ethics·2018

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Working with Human Tissues for Translational Cancer Research

Working with Human Tissues for Translational Cancer Research

Published on: November 26, 2015

'Bioethical Realism': A Framework for Implementing Universal Research Ethics.

John Barugahare

Developing World Bioethics

|August 7, 2018

Summary

International research ethics guidelines face challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper introduces "Bioethical Realism," a framework allowing local Research Ethics Committees flexibility in applying global standards to unique contexts.

Keywords:

African bioethics bioethical realism ethical imperialism research ethics research ethics committees

More Related Videos

A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting

A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting

Published on: January 12, 2018

A Naturalistic Setup for Presenting Real People and Live Actions in Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience Studies

A Naturalistic Setup for Presenting Real People and Live Actions in Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience Studies

Published on: August 4, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Working with Human Tissues for Translational Cancer Research

Working with Human Tissues for Translational Cancer Research

Published on: November 26, 2015

A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting

A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting

Published on: January 12, 2018

A Naturalistic Setup for Presenting Real People and Live Actions in Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience Studies

A Naturalistic Setup for Presenting Real People and Live Actions in Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience Studies

Published on: August 4, 2023

Area of Science:

Bioethics
Medical Research Ethics
Global Health Research

Background:

International ethical guidelines for health research are controversial in sub-Saharan Africa due to perceived "bioethical imperialism" and inherent inadequacies.
Existing guidelines are often seen as foreign, inconsistent with local worldviews, and lack sufficient detail or clarity.
These limitations render current guidelines inadequate for addressing complex, evolving research dilemmas in diverse settings.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose a framework for the effective implementation of international ethical guidelines in sub-Saharan Africa.
To address concerns of "bioethical imperialism" and the inadequacies of existing global ethical standards.
To offer a novel approach for local Research Ethics Committees (RECs) to navigate ethical complexities.

Main Methods:

The study employs an analogy with Legal Realism, a legal philosophy concerning judicial decision-making.
It proposes a new concept termed "Bioethical Realism."
The framework suggests construing local RECs as analogous to judicial courts.

Main Results:

The proposed "Bioethical Realism" framework advocates for local RECs to have significant autonomy in interpreting and applying ethical guidelines.
It posits that international bioethical guidelines, like general legal rules, should not rigidly dictate local decisions.
Decisions made by local RECs should possess considerable immunity from external scrutiny.

Conclusions:

"Bioethical Realism" offers a practical approach to implementing international ethical guidelines while respecting local contexts and mitigating "bioethical imperialism."
This framework empowers local Research Ethics Committees to make contextually relevant decisions.
It promotes a more nuanced and effective ethical oversight for international collaborative health research.