Also see the archival list of the Essays on Science and Society.
GLOBAL VOICES OF SCIENCE:
It Takes a Village: Medical Research and Ethics in Mali
Ogobara K. Doumbo
The challenges to global health are vast. Malaria alone accounts for up to 500 million new cases of disease each year and for 2 to 3 million deaths, most of which occur in sub-Saharan Africa. To combat such extensive and devastating diseases, researchers need to conduct medical trials involving the diverse populations and communities that are affected. Doing that ethically and responsibly, explains malaria researcher Ogobara Doumbo of the University of Bamako in Mali, requires that investigators develop an understanding of the social and cultural subtleties that govern how different groups around the world make decisions about participating in research. Only then can the researchers feel assured that the human beings who consent to partake in their studies are fully informed about the possible risks and benefits. This is the second essay of a year-long series that celebrates 125 years of Science by inviting researchers from around the world to provide a regional view of the scientific enterprise.
All essays appearing in this series can be found online at www.sciencemag.org/sciext/globalvoices/
The author is in the Department of Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases (DEAP), Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-Stomatology, University of Bamako, Mali, BP 1805, Bamako, Mali. E-mail: okd{at}mrtcbko.org
