MAPPING AFRICAN ETHICAL REVIEW COMMITTEE ACTIVITY ONTO CAPACITY NEEDS: THE MARC INITIATIVE AND HRWEB'S INTERACTIVE DATABASE OF RECS IN AFRICA

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-8847.2012.00325.x
• Publication Date: 2012-04-19T05:07:42Z
• Authors: CAREL IJSSELMUIDEN; DEBBIE MARAIS; DOUGLAS WASSENAAR; BOITUMELO MOKGATL...
• Keywords: Capacity Building; Ethics committee

ABSTRACT Health research initiatives worldwide are growing in scope and complexity, particularly as they move into the developing world. Expanding health activity low‐ middle‐income countries has resulted a commensurate rise need for sound ethical review structures functions form of Research Ethics Committees (RECs). Yet these seem to be lagging behind result enormous challenges facing countries, including poor resource availability lack capacity. There is thus an urgent ongoing capacity development regions general, Africa particular. Similarly, there that can identify existing funding indicate areas where this needs developed. This discussion paper argues Mapping African Capacity (MARC) project timely initiative aimed at identifying MARC provides platform tool on Council Development's (COHRED) website ( HRWeb ), which used by RECs key stakeholders capacity, constraints needs. intends provide first comprehensive interactive database Africa, will allow identification relationships analyses The potential lies mapping current onto serves starting point providing descriptive illustration state Africa.