In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

A s i a n B i o e t h i c s R e v i e w J u n e 2 0 0 9 Vo l u m e 1 , I s s u e 2 168 Central Asia: Developing a Capacity Building Approach to Ethical Review Central Asia comprises Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The region has many shared values, culture, and history. There are common contemporary approaches to healthcare, healthcare systems development and health research. There are also shared philosophical, community, and practical perspectives on ethics in society. In addition, we have a common engagement to promote improved public health and the protection of human subjects through research ethics. Hence, there is a common situation among ethics committees having similar practices, challenges, needs, and perspectives. Therefore, we have a common interest to share experiences, understanding, and practices across the republics in the region and collectively with our partners in the Confederation of Independent States (CIS). The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (Unesco) initiated a project to gather information in the field of bioethics in Central Asian countries from May 2006 to January 2007. The report that followed was discussed in a session on bioethics development in Central Asia at the KSPH Annual Public Health Conference in October 2006. As a result, regional working groups were established in these areas: • Regulation: to explore preliminary suggestions of changes to existing regulatory structures • Education: preliminary suggestions of how to proceed within existing structures • New Technologies: preliminary suggestions once a clear understanding of what technologies are in use. • Ethics Review Processes: preliminary suggestions of how these are instituted now. U P D A T E 168–170 Asian Bioethics Review June 2009 Volume 1, Issue 2 169 The objectives of the project were to realise within our countries and across countries in the region (and within the CIS) our significant potential in health research and health research ethics. The project also wanted to advance existing links (formal and informal) between researchers, institutions, and public health authorities. A further objective was to advance research ethics within a larger context of national and regional systems of health research, including the areas of healthcare provision, health economics, and health politics. Conclusions reached indicated that the Central Asian Republics (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan) have significant scientific and educational resources. In the meantime, due to new challenges, to ensure scientific progress and more involvement of CAR in international research, there is great need to import international scientific standards, including ethical standards into our research protocols. There has been a growing interest in bioethics issues and ethics of science and technology in these countries; there are National Ethics Committees in each country, along with educational programmes on bioethics, manuals development, and conferences at national and international levels. Key institutions and specialists in each country of the region who promote bioethics issues have been identified. Mainly, they are working in national universities and medical academies, have scientific degrees and a variety of publications. Some of them received special training on bioethics and ethics in research abroad. There is a National Commission for Unesco in each country of the region participating in bioethics development; however, their role should be strengthened, especially in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. During country visits common problems were identified. These indicated there was inadequate informational support, not enough modern books and manuals, insufficient educational programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, no experience in ethical review of research projects, no regulations, and no financing among other issues. There was, however, common understanding of a great need for regional cooperation in this field, for sharing of experience, training opportunities and other resources. There is also a need to set up the regional programme of bioethics development with broad involvement of international experts. We see our challenges as primarily focusing on: • Development of a robust legal and regulatory framework • Development of national systems and coordination for ethical review, and SOPs • Increase societal awareness and appreciation of the value of ethics and ethical review C e n t r a l A s i a : D e v e l o p i n g a C a p a c i t y...

pdf

Share