Asunción, August 1, 2024. The Ministry of Public Health and Well-being of Paraguay (MSPyBS by its Spanish acronym), with the support of PAHO/WHO Paraguay, launched the National Research Ethics Policy for Health – Paraguay 2023 (PNEIS, by its Spanish acronym) on Thursday, August 1 in Asunción.
One of the objectives of the National Health System is to promote technical and scientific development and research related to comprehensive health care. Thus the MSPyBS, in its role as promoter and protector of health in Paraguay, considers health research to be a fundamental aspect of its citizen’s well-being. PAHO/WHO has been supporting the Ministry’s work ensuring that national regulations adhere to the most up-to-date international standards available worldwide.
As a result of this work, an outreach event was organized focusing on the National Health Policy document, involving key stakeholders such as Health Research Ethics Committees.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Gustavo Ortiz, Director General of Planning and Evaluation, emphasized the significance of the inter-institutional collaboration that led to this launch. Representing PAHO/WHO in Paraguay, Alejandra Carrillo, Advisor on Health Systems and Services, indicated that from PAHO’s perspective that the National Health Research Ethics Policy represents a historic milestone for the health of Paraguay, which is why the Organization has supported and collaborated with this arduous work with great interest, ensuring that all the parties and actors that make up the National Health Research System are participants in the process.
Alejandra Carrillo, Advisor on Health Systems and Services representing PAHO/WHO in Paraguay, stated that the National Health Research Ethics Policy marks a historic milestone for Paraguay's health sector. She emphasized PAHO's strong commitment to supporting this effort, ensuring active participation from all stakeholders within the National Health Research System.
In addition, those present received a virtual greeting from Dr. Carla Saenz, PAHO/WHO Regional Bioethics Advisor, who highlighted the fact that the policy addresses the ethics of health research as a system and therefore represents a substantive achievement for the country.
For her part, Elizabeth Barrios, Director of Research and Strategic Studies of the Ministry of Health, referenced the process carried out to arrive at this policy. The Ministry President of Paraguay’s National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT, by its Spanish acronym), Benjamín Barán, as well as members of civil society and representatives from the National University, the Ibero-American University, and the Police and Military Health Units also participated in the event.
The National Health Research Ethics Policy aims to establish a system of governance for health-related research ethics that is capable of ensuring all health science research conducted in Paraguay is carried out in accordance with the international ethical standards. At the same time, it considers adherence to the National Constitution, its underlying principles, and other relevant regulatory frameworks.
