Research Triangle Park, NC – Family Health International (FHI) — an international organization that specializes in public health research, education, and service delivery, with headquarters in the Triangle — is welcoming four representatives from two African universities this week to discuss ways to better protect the interests of volunteers participating in international research studies.

The visit is part of a project in which FHI is collaborating with the University of Zimbabwe and the University of Malawi College of Medicine to develop and strengthen the processes these universities use to review the ethics of research studies with human participants.

"In international research, the review and approval of studies by a local ethics committee is essential, but local resources and capabilities are often limited and there is a need to strengthen them," says Dr. Roberto Rivera, director of FHI's Office of International Research Ethics. "FHI is looking forward to working with our colleagues from Africa. This partnership will facilitate and improve the work we all conduct."

Ethics committees, also known as institutional review boards (IRBs), are the main mechanism used to protect research participants. They ensure that the proposed research is based on sound ethical principles and that the studies are carefully monitored from this perspective until they are completed. In 2003, FHI's Office of International Research Ethics was awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health to enhance its work to promote the protection of research participants. FHI is using this grant to support the program with the two African universities, both of which conduct research supported by U.S. government funds.

During the visit, the four university representatives are meeting with FHI staff to discuss research ethics education and a variety of issues related to human research. FHI staff will share their procedures for reviewing research studies, and the visitors will attend one of FHI's IRB meetings.
All studies involving human participants must be carefully designed and monitored to protect the physical and psychological well-being of participants. In addition to obtaining informed consent from each participant, researchers are required to monitor study participants closely and adhere to strict procedures for reporting any adverse experiences. Local IRBs are involved in all of these steps.

For more information, please contact media@fhi.org or visit FHI's topic page on ethics.

Family Health International is dedicated to improving lives, knowledge, and understanding worldwide through a highly diversified program of research, education, and services in family health and HIV/AIDS prevention and care. Since our inception in 1971, FHI has formed partnerships with national governments and local communities in countries throughout the developing world to support lasting improvements in the health of individuals and the effectiveness of entire health systems.