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Global Voices of Science

An essay series celebrating the 125th anniversary of Science Magazine

February Essay

It Takes a Village: Medical Research and Ethics in Mali

Ogobara K. Doumbo, University of Bamako

Ogobara K. Doumbo, author of this month's essay, is the Director of the Malaria Research and Training Center at the University of Bamako, Mali. With expertise in tropical medicine, epidemiology, and parasitology, he has been making a global impact on the study, treatment, and prevention of malaria, paying special attention to the social and cultural subtleties that govern participation in medical research. In 2003, Dr. Doumbo became a member of Mali's National Committee on Ethics.

Medical research must be conducted "in ethical ways that respect and honor those many individuals and communities that agree to participate…"

Read the full essay by Ogobara K. Doumbo

Interactive Feature

Malaria research and ethics in Mali

Malaria research and ethics in Mali

As Dr. Doumbo discusses in his essay, making significant impacts on devastating diseases like malaria requires researchers to conduct medical trials involving the diverse populations that are affected. This online slide show highlights some of the social and cultural challenges of conducting ethical medical research in Mali.

Also of 125th Anniversary interest on Science Online:

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)