Report28th January 2020

Research in global health emergencies: ethical issues

Research conducted during emergencies plays a crucial role in supporting the immediate response, as well as learning for the future.

Global healthCOVID-19

Report (PDF)Short report (PDF)Report overview (PDF)Overview for ethics commitees (PDF)Overview for academic journals (PDF)Overview for researchers and research institutions (PDF)Overview for reseearch funders (PDF)Joint workshop report – community engagement (PDF)

This report shares the findings from a two year in-depth inquiry, run by an international working group which gathered evidence and experience from many contributors across the globe.

In this report we set out how research can be undertaken ethically during emergencies, in order to promote the contribution that research can make to improving current and future emergency preparedness and response.

We make 24 recommendations to ‘duty bearers’ such as research funders, research organisations, governments, and researchers. These are summarised in our call for action. We suggest changes that would align their policies and practices more closely to three core values of fairness, equal respect, and helping reduce suffering.

In May 2021, we published a report looking at the developments made since the report’s publication.