This repository of the Regional Bioethics Program provides access to knowledge on research ethics and public health ethics from PAHO and WHO, as well as from other sources.
Featured Publications
Research Ethics
-Tool for the accreditation of research ethics committees (PAHO, 2023). Available in Spanish | Portuguese | French
-Strengthening national research ethics systems in the Americas to improve its ethics preparedness and response to emergencies (Kaleidoscope of Global Bioethics, Conselho Nacional de Ética para as Ciências da Vida, 2023)
-Research ethics systems in Latin America and the Caribbean: a systemic assessment using indicators (The Lancet Global Health, 2022)
-Indicators for strengthening national research ethics systems (PAHO, 2021). Available in Spanish | French | Portuguese
-The landscape of COVID-19 clinical trials in Latin America and the Caribbean: assessment and challenges (Pan American Journal of Public Health, 2020)
-Advancing research ethics systems in Latin America and the Caribbean: a path for other LMICs? (The Lancet Global Health, 2019)
-Pregnant women & vaccines against emerging epidemic threats. Ethics guidance for preparedness, research, and response (PREVENT - Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, 2018)
-International ethical guidelines for health-related research involving humans (CIOMS and PAHO, 2017)
-An ethics call for the inclusion of pregnant women in research (Pan American Journal of Public Health, 2016)
-Zika ethics consultation: ethics guidance on key issues raised by the outbreak (PAHO, 2016)
-Standards and operational guidance for ethics review of health-related research with human participants (2011 / Published by PAHO in Spanish)
-Casebook on ethical issues in international health research (2009 / Published by PAHO in Spanish)
Public Health Ethics
-Recommendations for ethical monkeypox (mpox) surveillance (PAHO, 2022). Available in Spanish | French | Portuguese
-Ética de la salud pública: Casos de todo el mundo (2022, PAHO's translation of Public Health Ethics: Cases Spanning the Globe)
-Ethics and vector-borne diseases: WHO guidance (2020). Available in Spanish | French
-WHO guidelines on ethical issues in public health surveillance (2017). Available in Spanish | Portuguese | French
-Zika ethics consultation: Ethics guidance on key issues raised by the outbreak (PAHO, 2016)
-Guidance for managing ethical issues in infectious disease outbreaks (WHO, 2016). Available in French
-Making fair choices on the path to universal health coverage. Final report-WHO Consultative Group on Equity and Universal Health Coverage (2014/Published by PAHO in Spanish)
-Guidance on ethics of tuberculosis prevention, care and control (2010/Published by PAHO in Spanish)
-Ethical considerations in developing a public health response to pandemic influenza (WHO, 2007)
Ethics Guidance for COVID-19
-Catalyzing Ethical Research in Emergencies: Recommendations for research ethics committees (2023). Available in Spanish
-Catalyzing Ethical Research in Emergencies: Recommendations for health authorities (2023). Available in Spanish
-Catalyzing ethical research in emergencies. Ethics guidance, lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, and pending agenda. Summary (2022). Available in Spanish | French | Portuguese
-Catalyzing ethical research in emergencies. Ethics guidance, lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, and pending agenda (2022). Available in Spanish | French | Portuguese
-COVID-19 and mandatory vaccination: ethical considerations: policy brief (2022). Available in Spanish | French | Portuguese
-Guidance and strategies to streamline ethics review and oversight of COVID-19 related research (2020)
-Operational guidance and template for the ethics review and oversight of COVID-19-related research (2020)
-Ethics guidance on issues raised by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic (2020)
-Key criteria for the ethical acceptability of COVID-19 human challenge studies (2020)
-Emergency use of unproven interventions outside of research: Ethics guidance for the COVID-19 pandemic (2020)
-Guidance for ethics oversight of COVID-19 research in response to emerging evidence (2020)
Governing Bodies Documents on Bioethics (Mandates)
-CD56/1NF/21 - Bioethics: Towards the Integration of Ethics in Health: Final Report (2018)
-CSP28/14, Rev. 1 (Eng.) Bioethics: Towards the Integration of Ethics in Health. Concept paper (Sept. 2012)
-CSP28/R18 - Bioethics: Towards the Integration of Ethics in Health. Resolution (Sept. 2012)
PAHOERC
-Pan American Health Organization Ethics Review Committee: Standard operating procedures (2024)
-For PAHOERC reports visit: https://www.paho.org/en/paho-ethics-review-committee-pahoerc
Other Ethics Resources
-International compilation of human research standards 2021 edition (Compiled by OHRP; OASH; and HHS)