Opinion: Research in the time of coronavirus: keep it ethical
The sudden outbreak of Covid-19, a disease caused by a new coronavirus, is proving to the world every day the important role research plays in the response to global health emergencies. Rapid research has made it possible to sequence the genome of the new pathogen and to at least initially map its transmission and patterns of illness and death.
One lingering issue regarding research done in response to global health emergencies is lapses in ethics when conducting this kind of work. Local researchers and institutions in countries beset by public health emergencies have felt that their voices were not heard when decisions regarding research in their own communities were being made. Trials for novel vaccines and therapeutics have excluded pregnant or lactating women and children with no clear and scientifically sound justification. Front-line workers and researchers have reported being treated differently and feeling disadvantaged compared to expatriates occupying the same roles.
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