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Mc Cartney AM, Scholz AH, Groussin M, Staunton C. Benefit-Sharing by Design: A Call to Action for Human Genomics Research. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2024; 25:369-395. [PMID: 38608642 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-021623-104241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The ethical standards for the responsible conduct of human research have come a long way; however, concerns surrounding equity remain in human genetics and genomics research. Addressing these concerns will help society realize the full potential of human genomics research. One outstanding concern is the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from research on human participants. Several international bodies have recognized that benefit-sharing can be an effective tool for ethical research conduct, but international laws, including the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing, explicitly exclude human genetic and genomic resources. These agreements face significant challenges that must be considered and anticipated if similar principles are applied in human genomics research. We propose that benefit-sharing from human genomics research can be a bottom-up effort and embedded into the existing research process. We propose the development of a "benefit-sharing by design" framework to address concerns of fairness and equity in the use of human genomic resources and samples and to learn from the aspirations and decade of implementation of the Nagoya Protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M Mc Cartney
- Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA;
| | - Amber Hartman Scholz
- Department of Science Policy and Internationalisation, Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany;
| | - Mathieu Groussin
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany;
| | - Ciara Staunton
- School of Law, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Institute for Biomedicine, Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy;
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2
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Ibrahim ME, Adarmouch L, Elgamri A, Abd ElHafeez S, Mohammed Z, Abdelgawad F, Elsebaie EH, Abdelhafiz AS, Gamel E, El Rhazi K, Abdelnaby A, Ahram M, Silverman H. Researchers' Perspectives Regarding Ethical Issues of Biobank Research in the Arab Region. Biopreserv Biobank 2024; 22:98-109. [PMID: 36951637 PMCID: PMC11044858 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2022.0112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The recent expansion of genomic biobank research in the Arab region in the Middle East North Africa has raised complex ethical and regulatory issues. However, there is a lack of studies regarding the views of Arab researchers involved in such research. We aimed to assess the perceptions and attitudes of Arab researchers regarding these issues in biobank research. Methods: We developed a questionnaire to assess the perceptions and attitudes regarding genetic research of researchers from Egypt, Sudan, Morocco, and Jordan. The questionnaire requested demographic data, perceptions, and attitudes regarding the collection, storage, and use of biospecimens and data, the use of broad consent, data security, data sharing, and community engagement. We used multiple linear regressions to identify predictors of perceptions and attitudes. Results: We recruited 383 researchers. Researchers favored equally the use of broad and tiered consent (44.1% and 39.1%, respectively). Most respondents agreed with the importance of confidentiality protections to ensure data security (91.8%). However, lower percentages were seen regarding the importance of community engagement (64.5%), data sharing with national colleagues and international partners (60.9% and 41.1%, respectively), and biospecimen sharing with national colleagues and international partners (59.9% and 36.2%, respectively). Investigators were evenly split on whether the return of individual research results should depend on the availability or not of a medical intervention that can be offered to address the genetic anomaly (47.5% and 46.4%, respectively). Predictors of attitudes toward biospecimen research included serving on Research Ethics Committees, prior research ethics training, and affiliation with nonacademic institutions. Conclusions: We recommend further exploratory research with researchers regarding the importance of community engagement and to address their concerns about data sharing, with researchers within and outside their countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha E. Ibrahim
- Department of Physical Medicine, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Latifa Adarmouch
- Department of Community Medicine, Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco
| | - Alya Elgamri
- Department of Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry and Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Samar Abd ElHafeez
- Epidemiology Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Zeinab Mohammed
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Fatma Abdelgawad
- Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eman H. Elsebaie
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Samir Abdelhafiz
- Department of Clinical Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ehsan Gamel
- Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Karima El Rhazi
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
| | - Asmaa Abdelnaby
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mamoun Ahram
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
| | - Henry Silverman
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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3
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Schultz B, Agamah FE, Ewuoso C, Madden EB, Troyer J, Skelton M, Mwaka E. Webinar report: stakeholder perspectives on informed consent for the use of genomic data by commercial entities. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ETHICS 2023; 50:57-61. [PMID: 36941048 PMCID: PMC10804035 DOI: 10.1136/jme-2022-108650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In July 2020, the H3Africa Ethics and Community Engagement (E&CE) Working Group organised a webinar with ethics committee members and biomedical researchers from various African institutions throughout the Continent to discuss the issue of whether and how biological samples for scientific research may be accessed by commercial entities when broad consents obtained for the samples are silent. 128 people including Research Ethics Committee members (10), H3Africa researchers (46) including members of the E&CE working group, biomedical researchers not associated with H3Africa (27), representatives from the National Institutes of Health (16) and 10 other participants attended the webinar and shared their views. Several major themes emerged during the webinar, with the topics of broad versus explicit informed consent, defining commercial use, legacy samples and benefit sharing prevailing in the discussion. This report describes the consensus concerns and recommendations raised during the meeting and will be informative for future research on ethical considerations for genomic research in the African research context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baergen Schultz
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Francis E Agamah
- Computational Biology Division, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Cornelius Ewuoso
- Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Ebony B Madden
- Training, Diversity and Health Equity Office, Office of the Director, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jennifer Troyer
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Michelle Skelton
- Computational Biology Division, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Erisa Mwaka
- College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
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4
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Cervera de la Cruz P, Shabani M. Conceptualizing fairness in the secondary use of health data for research: A scoping review. Account Res 2023:1-30. [PMID: 37851101 DOI: 10.1080/08989621.2023.2271394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
With the introduction of the European Health Data Space (EHDS), the secondary use of health data for research purposes is attracting more attention. Secondary health data processing promises to address novel research questions, inform the design of future research and improve healthcare delivery generally. To comply with the existing data protection regulations, the secondary data use must be fair, among other things. However, there is no clear understanding of what fairness means in the context of secondary use of health data for scientific research purposes. In response, we conducted a scoping review of argument-based literature to explore how fairness in the secondary use of health data has been conceptualized. A total of 35 publications were included in the final synthesis after abstract and full-text screening. Using an inductive approach and a thematic analysis, our review has revealed that balancing individual and public interests, reducing power asymmetries, setting conditions for commercial involvement, and implementing benefit sharing are essential to guarantee fair secondary use research. The findings of this review can inform current and future research practices and policy development to adequately address concerns about fairness in the secondary use of health data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mahsa Shabani
- Metamedica, Faculty of Law and Criminology, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
- Law Centre for Health and Life, Faculty of Law, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Abstract
Biomedical research recruitment today focuses on including participants representative of global genetic variation-rightfully so. But ethnographic attention to practices of inclusion highlights how this agenda often transforms into "predatory inclusion," simplistic pushes to get Black and brown people into genomic databases. As anthropologists of medicine, we argue that the question of how to get from diverse data to concrete benefit for people who are marginalized cannot be presumed to work itself out as a byproduct of diverse datasets. To actualize the equitable translation of genomics, practitioners need to place the impacts of ancestral genetic difference in the scope of much more impactful social determinants. For this to happen, multidisciplinary expertise needs to be leveraged, and current, structurally unequal health care systems ultimately need to transform. As modest steps toward this goal, new models for benefit-sharing must be developed and implemented to mitigate existing inequality between data donors and the entities profiting from that data.
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6
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Vasquez EE, Foti N, McMahon CE, Jeske M, Bentz M, Fullerton S, Shim JK, Lee SSJ. Rethinking Benefit and Responsibility in the Context of Diversity: Perspectives from the Front Lines of Precision Medicine Research. Public Health Genomics 2023; 26:103-112. [PMID: 37442104 PMCID: PMC10614449 DOI: 10.1159/000531656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Federal agencies have instituted guidelines to prioritize the enrollment and retention of diverse participants in precision medicine research (PMR). Prior studies examining participation of minoritized communities have shown that potential benefits represent a key determinant. Human subject research guidance, however, conceptualizes potential benefits narrowly, emphasizing generalized advances in medical knowledge. Further, few studies have provided qualitative data that critically examine how the concept of "benefit" is interpreted or challenged in the context of research practice. This paper examines the experiences of PMR investigators and frontline research staff to understand how standard approaches to benefit are received, contested, and negotiated "on the ground." METHODS Findings are drawn from a qualitative project conducted across five US-based, federally funded PMR studies. Data collection included 125 in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of investigators, research staff, community advisory board members, and NIH program officers associated with these PMR studies. RESULTS Researchers report that the standard approach to benefit - which relies on the premise of altruism and the promise of incrementally advancing scientific knowledge - is frequently contested. Researchers experience moral distress over the unmet clinical, psychosocial, and material needs within the communities they are engaging. Many believe the broader research enterprise has a responsibility to better address these needs. CONCLUSION Researchers frequently take issue with and sometimes negotiate what is owed to participants and to their communities in exchange for the data they provide. These experiences of moral distress and these improvisations warrant systematic redress, not by individual researchers but by the broader research ethics infrastructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E Vasquez
- Department of Sociology, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Nicole Foti
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Caitlin E McMahon
- Division of Ethics, Department of Medical Humanities and Ethics, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Melanie Jeske
- Institute on the Formation of Knowledge, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Michael Bentz
- Division of Ethics, Department of Medical Humanities and Ethics, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Stephanie Fullerton
- Department of Bioethics and Humanities, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Janet K Shim
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Sandra Soo-Jin Lee
- Division of Ethics, Department of Medical Humanities and Ethics, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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7
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Kaawa-Mafigiri D, Ekusai Sebatta D, Munabi I, Mwaka ES. Genetic and Genomic Researchers' Perspectives on Biological Sample Sharing in Collaborative Research in Uganda: A Qualitative Study. J Empir Res Hum Res Ethics 2023:15562646231171289. [PMID: 37151037 DOI: 10.1177/15562646231171289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Numerous ethical, legal, and social issues arise with biological sample sharing. The study explored the perspectives of genetic and genomic researchers on the sharing of biological samples in international collaborative research. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 researchers. Participants expressed positive attitudes towards biobanking and appreciated the benefits of cross-border sharing of biological samples but noted that this practice had adversely affected local capacity building efforts. There was limited understanding of the ethical and regulatory frameworks governing sample sharing. Researchers emphasized the importance of respecting cultural values in biobanking research. Issues concerning poor governance and inequitable benefit sharing were also raised. There is a need for fair and equitable international collaborations where all researchers are treated with respect and as equal partners.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ian Munabi
- College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
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8
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Shelly CE, Logan C, Skorochod B, Wiyeh A, Ndwandwe D, Choko A, Valea I, Titanji BK. Creating a best practice template for participant communication plans in global health clinical studies. Trials 2023; 24:158. [PMID: 36864516 PMCID: PMC9983505 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-023-07185-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical trial participants have a right to be informed throughout the entire process of human subject research. As part of this pillar of research ethics, participants and other stakeholders should be made aware of research findings after a trial has been completed. Though participants have both a right, and a desire to be informed of research outcomes, studies show that they rarely receive communication about study findings. Our aim was (1) to understand what, if any, role communication plans play in current global health clinical research protocols and (2) to use our findings to develop a communication plan template tailored to clinical research carried out in low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC) while minimizing colonial assumptions. While the template was drafted in the LMIC context, the principles are universally applicable and should be considered best practices for all global health clinical trials. METHODS We carried out a mixed-method study over a period of 6 months to understand the role of communication with study participants and other stakeholders in clinical trials. The semiquantitative analysis included mining publicly available clinical trial protocols for communication-related language. Qualitative interviews (n = 7) were used to gather knowledge and insight from clinical trial experts to inform the development of a communication plan template. RESULTS None of the 48 mined clinical trial protocols included a communication plan. Of the 48, 21% (n = 21) protocols included communication-related language, and 10% (n = 5) described plans to share trial results with participants. CONCLUSION The use of communication plans in global health clinical trials is lacking. To our knowledge, this is the first in-depth analysis of communication plans in clinical trials to date. We recommend that researchers utilize the developed communication plan template throughout the entire research process to ensure a human-centered approach to participant communication. This communication plan should apply to all phases of a research trial, with a particular emphasis on plans to share results in an accessible and engaging manner once the trial has been completed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Caroline Logan
- CollaborateUp Inc, 208 Noland Street, Falls Church, VA, USA
| | - Beth Skorochod
- CollaborateUp Inc, 208 Noland Street, Falls Church, VA, USA
| | - Alison Wiyeh
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Duduzile Ndwandwe
- Cochrane South Africa, South African Medical Research Council, Francie Van Zilj Drive, Parow Valley, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Augustine Choko
- The Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro (IRSS-CRUN), Nanoro, Burkina Faso
| | - Innocent Valea
- Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital College of Medicine, Blantyre 3, Malawi, C, P.O. Box 30096, Chichiri, South Africa
| | - Boghuma K Titanji
- Emory University School of Medicine, 2015 Uppergate Dr, Atlanta, GA, USA
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9
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Carss KJ, Deaton AM, Del Rio-Espinola A, Diogo D, Fielden M, Kulkarni DA, Moggs J, Newham P, Nelson MR, Sistare FD, Ward LD, Yuan J. Using human genetics to improve safety assessment of therapeutics. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:145-162. [PMID: 36261593 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-022-00561-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Human genetics research has discovered thousands of proteins associated with complex and rare diseases. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and studies of Mendelian disease have resulted in an increased understanding of the role of gene function and regulation in human conditions. Although the application of human genetics has been explored primarily as a method to identify potential drug targets and support their relevance to disease in humans, there is increasing interest in using genetic data to identify potential safety liabilities of modulating a given target. Human genetic variants can be used as a model to anticipate the effect of lifelong modulation of therapeutic targets and identify the potential risk for on-target adverse events. This approach is particularly useful for non-clinical safety evaluation of novel therapeutics that lack pharmacologically relevant animal models and can contribute to the intrinsic safety profile of a drug target. This Review illustrates applications of human genetics to safety studies during drug discovery and development, including assessing the potential for on- and off-target associated adverse events, carcinogenicity risk assessment, and guiding translational safety study designs and monitoring strategies. A summary of available human genetic resources and recommended best practices is provided. The challenges and future perspectives of translating human genetic information to identify risks for potential drug effects in preclinical and clinical development are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aimee M Deaton
- Amgen, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alberto Del Rio-Espinola
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.,GentiBio Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Mark Fielden
- Amgen, Thousand Oaks, MA, USA.,Kate Therapeutics, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Jonathan Moggs
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Frank D Sistare
- Merck & Co., West Point, PA, USA.,315 Meadowmont Ln, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Lucas D Ward
- Amgen, Cambridge, MA, USA. .,Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Jing Yuan
- Amgen, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Pfizer, Cambridge, MA, USA
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10
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Mwaka ES, Bagenda G, Sebatta DE, Nabukenya S, Munabi I. Benefit sharing in genomic and biobanking research in Uganda: Perceptions of researchers and research ethics committee members. Front Genet 2022; 13:1037401. [PMID: 36468002 PMCID: PMC9714451 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1037401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 09/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Genomic and biobanking research has increased in Africa over the past few years. This has raised pertinent ethical, legal, and societal concerns for stakeholders such as sample or data ownership, commercialization, and benefit sharing. There is limited awareness of the concept of benefit sharing by stakeholders in sub-Saharan Africa. Objective: This study aimed to explore the perceptions of researchers and research ethics committee members on benefit sharing in international collaborative genomic and biobanking research. Methods: Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 researchers and 19 research ethics committee members. A thematic approach was used to interpret the results. Results: Six themes emerged from the data and these included perceptions on the benefits of genomic and biobanking research; discussion of benefit sharing with participants during the informed consent process; legal implications of benefit sharing and the role of material transfer agreements; equity and fairness in sharing the benefits of genomic research; perceived barriers to fair benefit sharing; and recommendations for fostering fair and equitable benefit sharing in genomic and biobanking research. Most respondents clearly understood the various forms of benefits of genomic and biobanking research and opined that such benefits should be fairly and equitably shared with low and middle-income country researchers and their institutions, and research communities. The perceived barriers to the fair benefit sharing unfavorable include power disparities, weak research regulatory frameworks, and lack of scientific integrity. Conclusion: Overall, respondents believed that the distribution of the advantages of genomic and biobanking research in North-South collaborative research was not equitable nor fair, and that the playing field was not leveled. Therefore, we advocate the following for fair and equitable benefit sharing: Building the capacities and empowering research scientists in developing nations; strengthening regulatory frameworks and extending the purview of the research ethics committee in the development and implementation of material transfer agreements; and meaningfully involving local research communities in benefit sharing negotiations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erisa Sabakaki Mwaka
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
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11
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Ewuoso C, Sudoi A, Kamuya D. Rethinking benefit sharing in collaborative human genetic research from an Afrocommunitarian perspective. Front Genet 2022; 13:1014120. [PMID: 36313420 PMCID: PMC9597086 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1014120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This article draws on reflections about humanness, friendliness and partiality, in the writings of Afro-communitarians to develop principles for thinking critically about why benefit sharing, what may count as benefits within the context of human research in Africa and the limits of the obligation of benefit sharing. Suppose the thinking about humanness, friendliness, and partiality in Afro-communitarianism were the foundation of human genetic research in Africa, then, individuals who have contributed to research or borne its burden would benefit from its rewards. This is even more important if participants have pressing needs that researchers and/or research institutions can help ease. A failure to aid sample contributors and data providers in need when researchers and research institutions can—as well as an indifference to the serious needs of contributors—are failures to exhibit friendliness in the relevant ways. Finally, though providing benefits to contributors can be an important way of showing humanity to them, nonetheless, this obligation is not absolute and may be limited by the stronger obligation of shared experience—to advance science. Studies are still required to inquire how well these norms will work in practice and inform regulatory and legal frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelius Ewuoso
- Steve Biko Centre for Bioethics, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Cornelius Ewuoso,
| | - Allan Sudoi
- KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Dorcas Kamuya
- KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
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Wonkam A, Munung NS, Dandara C, Esoh KK, Hanchard NA, Landoure G. Five Priorities of African Genomics Research: The Next Frontier. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2022; 23:499-521. [PMID: 35576571 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-111521-102452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
To embrace the prospects of accurately diagnosing thousands of monogenic conditions, predicting disease risks for complex traits or diseases, tailoring treatment to individuals' pharmacogenetic profiles, and potentially curing some diseases, research into African genomic variation is a scientific imperative. African genomes harbor millions of uncaptured variants accumulated over 300,000 years of modern humans' evolutionary history, with successive waves of admixture, migration, and natural selection combining with extensive ecological diversity to create a broad and exceptional genomic complexity. Harnessing African genomic complexity, therefore, will require sustained commitment and equitable collaboration from the scientific community and funding agencies. African governments must support academic public research and industrial partnerships that build the necessary genetic medicine workforce, utilize the emerging genomic big data to develop expertise in computer science and bioinformatics, and evolve national and global governance frameworks that recognize the ethical implications of data-driven genomic research and empower its application in African social, cultural, economic, and religious contexts. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics, Volume 23 is October 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambroise Wonkam
- Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; , , .,Current affiliation: McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine and Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA;
| | - Nchangwi S Munung
- Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; , ,
| | - Collet Dandara
- Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; , ,
| | - Kevin K Esoh
- Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; , ,
| | - Neil A Hanchard
- Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
| | - Guida Landoure
- Faculty of Medicine and Odontostomatology, University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technology of Bamako, Bamako, Mali;
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13
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Marshall P, Royal CD, Chadwick R. Translational Science, DNA Commercialization, and Informed Consent: The Need for Specific Terminology, Insights from a Review of H3Africa Projects. Public Health Genomics 2022; 25:1-8. [PMID: 35078200 PMCID: PMC9216313 DOI: 10.1159/000521371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past decade, there has been an acceleration in genomic research, its applications, and its translation into healthcare products and services for the benefit of public health. These advances are critical to realizing the potential of genomic research for facilitating improved health and disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Despite its tremendous opportunities, the dynamic and increasingly global landscape of genomic research commercialization has been accompanied by a variety of ethical challenges and concerns. The potential for unauthorized use of DNA samples from African people to develop a DNA chip amplifies discussion on the meanings, implications, and impacts of commercialization, benefit sharing, and appropriate consent in genomic research. Leadership of the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Consortium convened a panel of experts to review research ethics practices employed in H3Africa Consortium projects and make recommendations regarding commercialization. Eighteen investigators submitted documents for projects involving data sharing and use of genetic information. A total of 39 informed consent documents associated with the 18 projects were reviewed. All 18 projects specified that samples would be used in future research. Less than half of the projects included language noting that samples could be used in drug or product development, that DNA samples would not be sold, and that profits would not be shared with participants. Four projects referred to commercialization. Analysis of information included in consent documents contributed to the development of a Commercialization Typology. The Typology identifies factors to consider regarding acceptability of particular instances of commercialization. DNA samples for translational research in product development require a transparent commercialization framework to inform the consent process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Marshall
- Department of Bioethics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Charmaine D.M. Royal
- African & African American Studies, Biology, Global Health, and Family Medicine & Community Health, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ruth Chadwick
- School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
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Munung NS, de Vries J, Pratt B. Genomics governance: advancing justice, fairness and equity through the lens of the African communitarian ethic of Ubuntu. MEDICINE, HEALTH CARE, AND PHILOSOPHY 2021; 24:377-388. [PMID: 33797712 PMCID: PMC8349790 DOI: 10.1007/s11019-021-10012-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
There is growing interest for a communitarian approach to the governance of genomics, and for such governance to be grounded in principles of justice, equity and solidarity. However, there is a near absence of conceptual studies on how communitarian-based principles, or values, may inform, support or guide the governance of genomics research. Given that solidarity is a key principle in Ubuntu, an African communitarian ethic and theory of justice, there is emerging interest about the extent to which Ubuntu could offer guidance for the governance of genomics research in Africa. To this effect, we undertook a conceptual analysis of Ubuntu with the goal of identifying principles that could inform equity-oriented governance of genomics research. Solidarity, reciprocity, open sharing, accountability, mutual trust, deliberative decision-making and inclusivity were identified as core principles that speak directly to the different macro-level ethical issues in genomics research in Africa such as: the exploitation of study populations and African researchers, equitable access and use of genomics data, benefit sharing, the possibility of genomics to widen global health inequities and the fair distribution of resources such as intellectual property and patents. We use the identified the principles to develop ethical guidance for genomics governance in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nchangwi Syntia Munung
- Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Jantina de Vries
- Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Bridget Pratt
- Centre for Health Equity, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
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