Emerging bioethical issues in health reserach: concerns and challenges in the Africa Region: report of the Regional Director

Abstract

Regional Committee for Africa,
 Fifty-first session,
 Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, 27 August–1 September 2001,
 Provisional agenda item 8.6

1. The 20th session of the WHO African Advisory Committee for Health Research and
 Development (AACHRD), held in Dakar, Senegal, from 23 to 26 April 2001, noted with concern that,
 despite the significant increase in the amount of clinical research carried out in the Region in the past
 decade, especially in the field of HIV/AIDS, the bioethical aspects of these research endeavours have
 not received due attention by Member States. The Committee recommended that research bioethics
 be treated as an area for priority intervention in the Region. It is against this background that the
 Regional Director is bringing issues associated with research bioethics before the Regional
 Committee so that it can address the challenges faced by the Region.
 2. This document presents key concerns and challenges about health research bioethics in the
 African Region and is meant to inform the Regional Committee of the gravity of the situation. It also
 makes suggestions for implementation by Member States and WHO. The Regional Committee is,
 therefore, requested to examine, improve and adopt the suggestions to address the challenges
 presented by bioethical issues involved in health research in the African Region.