Coalition Ethics Working Group members Ms Katharine Wright (Nuffield Council on Bioethics, UK) and Dr Leonardo de Castro (University of Philippines, Philippines) recently participated in the 14th Annual Philippines Health Research Week under the theme ‘Health R&D in the New Normal: Moving Towards Universal Health Care’.

The virtual event provided a platform for researchers to share best practices and experiences in pursuit of healthier lives for the Filipino population through health research. With a focus on the ethics of research in global health emergencies, the Nuffield Ethical Compass was presented and discussed.

The Ethical Compass focuses on the key elements of equal respect, fairness, and reducing suffering, and is intended to inform policy and guide thinking on ethical considerations in research in health emergencies. A key outcome of the meeting was the adoption of the Ethical Compass as a guide for Research Ethics Committee processes in the Philippines.

Earlier this year, Ethics Working Group member Prof. Elysée Nouvet (Western University, Canada) co-led workshops with Prof. Oumou Bah-Sow (National Research Ethics Committee of the Republic of Guinea, Guinea) and Dr Julian Sheather (British Medical Association, UK) on the Nuffield Ethical Compass in Guinea with key stakeholders in regulatory, health authorities and ethical committees. The Ethics Working Group continues to explore scaling up the use of the Ethical Compass as a resource for research ethics in health emergencies globally.

Photo credit: Nuffield Council on Bioethics