Research ethics systems in Latin America and the Caribbean: a systemic assessment using indicators

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Bioethics
• Health Systems Research

Background:

• The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) developed a strategy with indicators to enhance research ethics systems.
• Assessing the implementation of this strategy across Latin America and the Caribbean is crucial for improving research integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the status of research ethics systems in 22 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• To identify strengths and weaknesses in implementing PAHO's research ethics strategy.

Main Methods:

• Utilized PAHO's indicators to assess research ethics systems in 22 countries.
• Data collection likely involved review of legal instruments, national bodies, and policy implementation.

Main Results:

• Most countries have legal instruments for human participant research and oversight bodies for ethics committees.
• Performance is weaker in ethics training policies and clinical trial registration.
• Policies for responsible conduct of research and accelerated ethics review for emergency research are not widely meeting PAHO objectives.

Conclusions:

• While foundational elements of research ethics systems are present in many countries, significant gaps remain, particularly in training and registration.
• Addressing these challenges is essential for strengthening research ethics systemically in the region.
• Recommendations are provided to help countries achieve PAHO indicators and advance research ethics.