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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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Adebamowo CA, Callier S, Akintola S, Maduka O, Jegede A, Arima C, Ogundiran T, Adebamowo SN. The promise of data science for health research in Africa. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6084. [PMID: 37770478 PMCID: PMC10539491 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41809-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Data science health research promises tremendous benefits for African populations, but its implementation is fraught with substantial ethical governance risks that could thwart the delivery of these anticipated benefits. We discuss emerging efforts to build ethical governance frameworks for data science health research in Africa and the opportunities to advance these through investments by African governments and institutions, international funding organizations and collaborations for research and capacity development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clement A Adebamowo
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Research, Center for Bioethics and Research, Ibadan, Nigeria.
| | - Shawneequa Callier
- Department of Clinical Research and Leadership, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, USA
- Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Simisola Akintola
- Department of Research, Center for Bioethics and Research, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Business Law, Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Bioethics and Medical Humanities, Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Oluchi Maduka
- Department of Research, Center for Bioethics and Research, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Ayodele Jegede
- Department of Research, Center for Bioethics and Research, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Bioethics and Medical Humanities, Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | | - Temidayo Ogundiran
- Department of Research, Center for Bioethics and Research, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Bioethics and Medical Humanities, Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Sally N Adebamowo
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Research, Center for Bioethics and Research, Ibadan, Nigeria
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Yakubu A, Mc Cartney AM, Sprumont D. Editorial: Toward a better understanding and application of benefit sharing in genomic and global health research. Front Genet 2023; 14:1291181. [PMID: 37829281 PMCID: PMC10565473 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1291181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aminu Yakubu
- Center for Bioethics and Research, Ibadan, Nigeria
- 54gene Inc., Washington, DC, United States
| | - Ann M. Mc Cartney
- Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, United States
| | - Dominique Sprumont
- Institute of Health Law, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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Slušná ĽK, Balog M. Review of Indicators in the Context of Biobanking. Biopreserv Biobank 2023; 21:318-326. [PMID: 36099204 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2022.0073] [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: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Biobanks that intend to serve as high-performing and stable elements of an innovative research ecosystem must have an established system for regular measurement and evaluation using appropriately set indicators. The main objective of this study was to provide a comprehensive overview of indicators in the context of biobanking, with new perspectives to highlight the existence of numerous options and introduce indicators that could help overcome problems associated with the difficult assessment of the impact of biobanks. Methods: A literature review was performed to identify publications relevant to the topic of indicators in biobanking. The Web of Science Core Collection and PubMed databases were searched using specific keywords. In addition, three articles that focused on indicators designed for the evaluation of research infrastructures were included in the review. Results: Based on the scientific literature for the biobanking field, many types of quantitative and qualitative indicators exist. They are mainly related to the quantity and quality of data and samples, their distribution, the monitoring of research projects, and subsequent publication outputs. The indicators identified in the biobanking literature primarily focus on the outcome, not the impact. Conclusions: Indicators identified in the biobanking literature may be further expanded with suggestions designed for other types of research infrastructures, while considering the context where biobanks operate and the needs of individual biobanking stakeholders. The establishment of a comprehensive monitoring system that captures all necessary elements is crucial for modern biobanks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Miroslav Balog
- Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences, SAS, Bratislava, Slovakia
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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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Sabatello M, Martschenko DO, Cho MK, Brothers KB. Data sharing and community-engaged research. Science 2022; 378:141-143. [PMID: 36227983 PMCID: PMC10155868 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq6851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Data sharing must be accompanied by responsibility sharing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Sabatello
- Center for Precision Medicine and Genomics at the Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center; Division of Ethics, Department of Medical Humanities and Ethics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center; New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Daphne O Martschenko
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics and Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, Stanford Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Mildred K Cho
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics and Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, Stanford Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kyle B Brothers
- Norton Children's Research Institute Affiliated with the University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
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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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Bedeker A, Nichols M, Allie T, Tamuhla T, van Heusden P, Olorunsogbon O, Tiffin N. A framework for the promotion of ethical benefit sharing in health research. BMJ Glob Health 2022; 7:e008096. [PMID: 35144922 PMCID: PMC8845198 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-008096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an increasing recognition of the importance of including benefit sharing in research programmes in order to ensure equitable and just distribution of the benefits arising from research. Whilst there are global efforts to promote benefit sharing when using non-human biological resources, benefit sharing plans and implementation do not yet feature prominently in research programmes, funding applications or requirements by ethics review boards. Whilst many research stakeholders may agree with the concept of benefit sharing, it can be difficult to operationalise benefit sharing within research programmes. We present a framework designed to assist with identifying benefit sharing opportunities in research programmes. The framework has two dimensions: the first represents microlevel, mesolevel and macrolevel stakeholders as defined using a socioecological model; and the second identifies nine different types of benefit sharing that might be achieved during a research programme. We provide an example matrix identifying different types of benefit sharing that might be undertaken during genomics research, and present a case study evaluating benefit sharing in Africa during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. This framework, with examples, is intended as a practical tool to assist research stakeholders with identifying opportunities for benefit sharing, and inculcating intentional benefit sharing in their research programmes from inception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Bedeker
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | - Michelle Nichols
- College of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Taryn Allie
- Computational Biology Division, Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Tsaone Tamuhla
- Computational Biology Division, Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Peter van Heusden
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | - Olorunyomi Olorunsogbon
- Department of Health promotion and Education, Faculty of Public Health, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Nicki Tiffin
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
- Computational Biology Division, Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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