Phase 2 (2006 Deadline)
Capacity Building in Research Ethics and for Research on Ethics
Adnan A. Hyder, The Johns Hopkins University
Aasim Ahmad and Arshi Farooqi, Aga Khan University
Pakistani Funding (HEC): $232,732
US Funding: $150,000
Project Dates on US Side: February 1, 2007 - November 30, 2009
Project Overview
The goal of this project was (1) to improve the ethical conduct of human subject research in light of indigenous sociocultural values in Pakistan and (2) to develop skills and capacity to conduct research on ethics in Pakistan. The development of capacity in Pakistan in research ethics involves the rationale that not only is international collaborative research involving developing counties increasing exponentially, but there is also a concerted effort to increase the number of researchers in these countries. To achieve this objective, this project involved six research ethics certificate courses to be presented over two years, resulting in the training and certification of some 120 researchers from all over Pakistan. The certificate courses offered had two components comprising modules in basic bioethics and research ethics. The former was a foundational module with a focus on three broad areas: bioethics history and issues to date; Western thought; and Islam and its philosophic tradition. The research ethics module covered essential principles for human subject research, examining different ethical issues raised by clinical trials, epidemiological studies, and public health research, especially in the context of developing countries and international collaborative research. The long-term goal of this project is for the individuals trained to become resource persons in their respective institutions not only for ethical review of research, but also for eventual establishment of similar training programs.
Major Results
- Presented six very positively evaluated research ethics certificate courses over two years, resulting in the training and certification of approximately 120 researchers from all over Pakistan
- Courses and workshops attracted approximately 2,000 applicants as of late 2009, representing many of Pakistan’s major public and private sector healthcare institutions
- Received a grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health to support complementary activities in the area of research ethics education and training, including the development of a master’s program
- Hosted three researchers from AKU at JHU for extended training and development of independent research projects, for which they requested separate funding through AKU channels to carry out in Pakistan
Progress Report Summaries
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2009 Show summary || Hide summary
A no-cost extension was granted on this project through November 30, 2009. Funding delays and security issues on the Pakistani side set back the schedule for the final research ethics certificate course and final ethics workshop by a few months, but they were carried out September 28-October 10, 2009, and October 14, 2009, respectively. The Pakistani and US project directors have submitted a detailed final report documenting their activities now that the project is complete. Of particular note was the extremely strong interest that the ethics courses and workshops attracted, drawing around 2,000 applicants for 152 available slots. The participants gave the training activities very positive evaluations, and given the fact that they represented most of the country's major public- and private-sector healthcare institutions, there is a strong likelihood that their involvement in the project will have a broad impact nationwide as research ethics standards and mechanisms are instituted and further developed.
2008 Show summary || Hide summary
The course in research ethics at AKU from April 3-30, 2008 trained 33 students selected from among 526 applicants. Another 27 students (out of 640 applicants) were trained in a research ethics certificate course held at AKU July 22-August 20, 2008, and a two-day research ethics workshop designed specifically for 14 institutional review board members was held in Karachi August 20-21, 2008. Dr. Bok traveled to AKU to help teach both the April and July-August certificate courses, and Dr. Hyder participated in the April course and co-directed the August two-day workshop.
In addition, three researchers from AKU were hosted at JHU for extended training and development of independent research projects, for which they have requested separate funding through AKU channels to carry out back home in Pakistan. Dr. Uzma Shoaib Shamsi spent July 16-August 22, 2008, in Baltimore, Dr. Muhammad Yousuf and Mr. Syed Shamim Raza visited November 9-December 14, 2008.
2007 Show summary || Hide summary
In May 2007 Dr. Aasim Ahmad visited JHU for planning meetings with his counterparts, including Dr. Adnan Hyder (US director), Dr. Hilary Bok (US co-director), and Ms. Lynne Harris (US coordinator). When the first research ethics workshop was announced in mid-July 2007, it attracted 150 applicants in only one week, attesting to the great interest in the topic in Pakistan. Thirty students were selected to participate in the workshop, which was held in Karachi August 4-8, 2007, with Drs. Hyder and Bok and Ms. Harris serving as key presenters. In October 2007 Dr. Ahmad again visited the United States and met with the JHU team to plan upcoming activities, including the selection and placement of Pakistani research ethics fellows at JHU and the organization of a longer course in research ethics at AKU in 2008. In late 2007, Dr. Ahmad received a grant from the US National Institutes of Health to support complementary activities in the area of research ethics education and training, including the development of a master’s program in this field. These funds from NIH helped to leverage the resources available to his existing joint project with JHU.
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