The Ministry of Education and Policy Studies Institute organized a Research Ethics Review and Scientific Integrity Training for potential IRERC members of the Ethiopian Policy Studies Institute (PSI) from July 28-29, 2023 at the Capital Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Participants
During the opening of the training, a welcoming address and opening speech were given by H.E. Prof. Beyene Petros, the Director General of the Policy Studies Institute (PSI). H.E. Prof. Beyene underscored that research ethics refers to the principles and guidelines that govern the conduct of research involving human subjects or animals. It is a set of moral principles and ethical standards that researchers are expected to follow to ensure that their research is conducted in an honest, transparent, and responsible manner.
H.E. Prof. Beyene Petros
H.E. Prof. Beyene emphasized that the importance of research ethics cannot be overstated. First and foremost, research ethics ensures that the dignity, rights, safety, and well-being of research participants are protected. This means that researchers must obtain informed consent from participants, ensure that any risks associated with the research are minimized, and maintain the confidentiality and anonymity of participants. Second, research ethics promotes transparency and accountability in research. Researchers are expected to be honest and transparent about their methods, data, and findings, and to report any conflicts of interest or biases that might influence their research. Third, research ethics promotes the trust and credibility of scientific research. Research that is conducted ethically and responsibly is more likely to be trusted and respected by the public, policymakers, and other researchers. This, in turn, helps to advance scientific knowledge and promote social progress.
In summary, H.E. Prof. Beyene said that research ethics is essential for protecting the rights and well-being of research participants, promoting transparency and accountability in research, and ensuring the trust and credibility of scientific research.
After the welcoming and opening address from Prof. Beyene Petros, Dr. Solomon Benor, the CEO of Research and Community Engagement Affairs at the FDRE Ministry of Education, explained more about the publication, how to publish, journal accreditation, accredited journals by the MoE, journal selection, and identifying reputable and predatory journals.
Dr. Solomon Benor, the CEO of Research and Community Engagement Affairs at the FDRE Ministry of Education
Dr. Solomon provided insights on the publication process, including how to publish, journal accreditation, journal selection, and identifying predatory journals. He emphasized the importance of publishing research findings in reputable and accredited journals to ensure the quality and credibility of research. He discussed more on how to select appropriate journals for publication based on factors such as the scope, impact factor, and reputation of the journal.
Dr. Solomon also highlighted the issue of predatory journals, which are journals that publish research without proper peer review or editorial oversight. He explained the potential risks associated with publishing in predatory journals, such as damage to reputation and loss of credibility, and provided tips on how to identify and avoid these journals.
Participants
Furthermore, Dr. Solomon discussed the importance of adhering to ethical standards when publishing research, including avoiding plagiarism and ensuring that research findings are presented accurately and honestly.
The training also focused on the history of bioethics and fundamental principles of research ethics. Dr. Adamu Adissie explained that the history of bioethics can be traced back to the mid-twentieth century when medical research involving human subjects became more prevalent. This led to a growing awareness of the need to protect the rights and welfare of research participants, as well as concerns about the ethical implications of scientific research. In response, several key documents were developed, which established ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects.
Dr. Adamu also discussed the fundamental principles of research ethics. These principles include respect for persons (which includes obtaining informed consent, protecting privacy, and maintaining confidentiality), beneficence (which involves minimizing risks and maximizing benefits for research participants), and justice (which requires a fair distribution of the benefits and burdens of research). He emphasized the importance of adhering to these principles in research to ensure that the rights and welfare of participants are protected and that the research is conducted ethically and responsibly.
Dr. Adamu also presented on informed consent, conflict of interest, and vulnerable populations. He explained that Informed consent is a fundamental principle of research ethics that requires researchers to obtain voluntary, informed, and ongoing consent from research participants. This means that participants must be fully informed about the nature of the research, the risks and benefits of participation, and their rights as participants.
Dr. Abulie said research participants must also be allowed to ask questions and withdraw from the study at any time. Informed consent is particularly important when working with vulnerable populations, such as children, elderly individuals, or those with cognitive or mental impairments, who may be less able to provide fully informed consent.
Dr. Abulie explained that Conflict of interest is another important ethical consideration in research. A conflict of interest occurs when a researcher or institution has a financial or personal interest that may compromise their objectivity or integrity in conducting research. For example, a researcher who has financial ties to a pharmaceutical company may be more likely to produce results that favor that company's product. To avoid conflicts of interest, researchers must disclose any financial or personal relationships that may affect their research.
Vulnerable populations, such as children, pregnant women, prisoners, and individuals with disabilities, are often at greater risk of harm in research due to their limited ability to provide informed consent or advocate for their own rights. Dr. Abulie noted that Researchers must take extra care to ensure that vulnerable populations are not exploited or subject to unnecessary risks in research. This includes obtaining consent from legally authorized representatives, implementing additional safeguards to protect their rights and welfare, and ensuring that the benefits of research are fairly distributed. Participants and the session presenter engaged in discussions. A discussion was held between participants and the session presenter.
Dr. Abulie Takele also presented an overview of the National Research Ethics Review Guidelines. National research ethics review guidelines are a set of rules and regulations that provide a framework for the ethical conduct of research in a particular country. This guideline is designed to protect the well-being and rights of research participants, ensure the scientific integrity of research, and promote ethical and responsible conduct of research.
The guideline typically covers a range of issues, including the use of human subjects in research, the protection of their privacy and confidentiality, the informed consent process, the management of potential risks and benefits, and the ethical use of data. In many countries, national research ethics review guidelines are developed by national regulatory bodies.
In addition to guiding ethical research practices, these guidelines typically also establish procedures for the review and approval of research proposals. Research projects are typically required to undergo ethical review by an institutional review board or ethics committee before they can proceed.
Adherence to national research ethics review guidelines is essential for ensuring the ethical conduct of research and protecting the well-being and rights of research participants. Researchers who violate these guidelines may be subject to disciplinary action, including loss of funding, suspension of research privileges, and legal liability.
Dr. Abulie said the guidelines outline the ethical principles and standards that researchers must adhere to when conducting research in Ethiopia. It covers a wide range of topics, including informed consent, confidentiality and privacy, risk and benefit analysis, and the use of vulnerable populations in research.
Dr. Abulie noted that Researchers are required to submit their research proposals for ethical review and approval. The office evaluates the research proposal to ensure that it meets the ethical standards set out in the guidelines. If the proposal is approved, researchers are granted permission to conduct their research in Ethiopia.
Dr. Abulie stated that the National Research Ethics Review Guidelines play a crucial role in ensuring that research in Ethiopia is conducted ethically and responsibly and that the rights and welfare of research participants are protected. By providing a clear framework for ethical review and approval, the guidelines help to promote transparency, accountability, and trust in the research process.
During the Research Ethics Review and Scientific Integrity Training, Mr. Yohannes Sitotaw presented on SOP preparation and SIDCER registration and accreditation process. SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) are a set of written instructions that describe the steps and procedures that must be followed to ensure that research is conducted ethically and responsibly. SOPs cover a wide range of topics, such as recruitment of participants, obtaining informed consent, data collection and management, and reporting of adverse events. SOPs are a critical component of research governance and help to ensure that research is conducted consistently and in compliance with ethical principles and regulations.
SIDCER (Strategic Initiative for Developing Capacity in Ethical Review) is an international alliance of research ethics committees and institutions that aims to promote ethical research practices and capacity building in research ethics review. SIDCER provides training, mentorship, and accreditation services to research ethics committees worldwide to help ensure that they have the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to effectively review and approve research proposals.
Mr. Yohannes provided an overview of the process for preparing SOPs and the benefits of SIDCER registration and accreditation. They emphasized the importance of developing clear and comprehensive SOPs to ensure that research is conducted consistently and ethically. Mr. Yohannes also highlighted the advantages of SIDCER accreditation, such as increased credibility and recognition, improved capacity and expertise, and access to global networks and resources.
Overall, the presentations on SOP preparation and SIDCER registration and accreditation process provided valuable insights into the key components of research governance and the importance of ethical review and oversight in ensuring that research is conducted ethically and responsibly.
The second day of the training started with a presentation on research ethics in the environment by Dr. Andualem Mekonnen. He outlined the principles of environmental ethics, which extend the questions of morality to future generations of humans, other species, and the environment around us. The principles include the principle of no harm, no interference, loyalty, and justice. Dr. Andualem Mekonnen emphasized that every activity concerning the environment must be carefully considered and highlighted the importance of environmental justice and sustainability.
He also discussed the different types of environmental ethics, including shallow environmental ethics, which emphasizes the function of the environment as a means of forwarding human interests, and deep environmental ethics, which recognizes nature as having intrinsic value and moral standing. He further explained the different categories of science research that fall under the environmental research ethical guideline, which includes research in biodiversity, protected and environmentally sensitive areas, climate change, toxic pollutants, genetic research, and human health-related behavioral research, among others. The main objective of this guideline is to safeguard the environment and components of the environment from harm associated with research activity and ensure fairness in sharing the benefits among the community.
The principles of environmental research ethics were discussed, stating that there should be ethical principles while conducting research in the environment to respect the well-being of the natural world. It was noted that the major ethical principles were justice and sustainability, sufficiency and compassion, solidarity and participation. The guiding principles of environmental ethics that govern the attitude and behavior of human beings in their interaction with the environment were then stated.
The principle of non-maleficence was discussed, which stated that no harm should be done to the environment and that humans should not destroy species or biotic communities. The principle of non-interference was also discussed, which stated that barriers should not be imposed on the freedom of organisms. The principle of beneficence was explained as referring to the research project output to attempt to maximize benefits for the individual participant, community, and/or the environment while reducing risk or harm.
The principle of environmental justice was also discussed, which required equality in the distribution of benefits and burdens among the population groups likely to benefit from the research. The precautionary principle was explained as stating that research activities that may lead to morally unacceptable harm to the environment should lead to actions that avoid or prevent environmental degradation.
The researcher should design experiments according to four maxims: movement, minimization, modification, and maximizing. The differences between reduction and refinement in environmental research were also discussed. Exempted review procedures and types of research with special consideration were also mentioned. A discussion was held between participants and the session presenter-Dr. Andualem Mekonnen.
Next, Dr. Melese Getu (AAU) presented research ethics in social science. Dr. Melese discussed the importance of research ethics in social science. He emphasized the need to ensure that participants are fully informed about the study and their rights and that their privacy and confidentiality are protected.
Dr. Melese also mentioned the principle of informed consent, which requires that participants provide voluntary and informed consent to participate in the study. In addition, he discussed the principle of beneficence, which requires that research should aim to maximize benefits and minimize harm to participants. Dr. Melese emphasized the importance of minimizing any potential risks or negative consequences of the research and ensuring that the benefits of the research outweigh any potential harm.
Dr. Melese also discussed the principle of justice, which requires that research should be conducted fairly and equitably and that the benefits and burdens of the research should be distributed in a just and equitable manner. Dr. Melese emphasized the importance of considering the potential impact of the research on marginalized or vulnerable groups and ensuring that they are not unfairly burdened or excluded from the research.
Overall, Dr. Melese emphasized the importance of upholding ethical principles in social science research and the need for researchers to be mindful of the potential impact of their research on participants and society as a whole. A discussion was held between participants and the session presenter.
The final session of the training was held, with Prof. Asrat Hailu presenting on risk and benefit analysis, privacy, and confidentiality. Prof. Asrat explained that risk and benefit analysis is a critical component of research ethics, and involves evaluating the potential risks and benefits of research for participants and society. Researchers must carefully consider the potential risks associated with their research, such as physical harm, psychological distress, or breach of confidentiality, and take steps to minimize these risks. They must also assess the potential benefits of their research, such as advancing scientific knowledge or improving health outcomes, and ensure that the benefits outweigh the risks.
Privacy and confidentiality are also important ethical considerations in research. Researchers must take measures to protect the privacy and confidentiality of research participants, such as obtaining informed consent, using secure data storage and transmission methods, and de-identifying data. Participants must be assured that their personal information will be kept confidential and not disclosed to unauthorized parties.
Prof. Asrat also provided practical guidance on how to conduct a risk and benefit analysis, as well as how to ensure privacy and confidentiality in research. he emphasized the importance of involving research participants in the decision-making process and ensuring that they are fully informed about the risks and benefits of participation. He also highlighted the need to use appropriate data security measures and to obtain ethical approval from the National Research Ethics Review Committee before conducting research.
Prof. Asrat Hailu
The presentation on risk and benefit analysis, privacy, and confidentiality provided valuable insights into the key ethical considerations in research and highlighted the importance of protecting the rights and welfare of research participants.
During the training's closing session, participants were given the opportunity to share their reflections on the training. Many expressed their appreciation for the comprehensive and informative nature of the training, and how it had helped them to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
Dr. Netsanet Jote, the coordinator of the training, also shared her thoughts on the training. She expressed her gratitude to the participants and the trainers for their engagement and commended them for their willingness to learn, teach and apply the principles of the training in their work. Dr.Netsanet emphasized the importance of upholding ethical principles in research, and how it can contribute to the development of a more just and equitable society.
Finally, Prof. Asrat Hailu delivered the closing remarks. He thanked the participants for their active participation and engagement throughout the training and emphasized the importance of ethical research practices in promoting social justice and sustainable development. Prof. Asrat encouraged the participants to continue to apply the principles of the training in their work and to share their knowledge and experiences with others in their respective fields.