Potential research ethics violations against an indigenous tribe in Ecuador: a mixed methods approach release_h7hsdtgzkba3venxenu6km6d3i

by Esteban Ortiz-Prado, Katherine Simbana-Rivera, Lenin Gomez-Barreno, Leonardo Tamariz, Alex Lister, Juan Carlos Baca, Alegria Norris, Lila Adana-Diaz

Released as a post by Research Square.

2020  

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:bold>Background:</jats:bold> Biomedical and ethnographic studies among indigenous people are common practice in health and geographical research. Prior research misconduct has been documented, particularly when obtaining genetic material. The objective of this study was to crossmatch previously published data with the perceptions of the Waorani peoples about the trading of their genetic material and other biological samples. <jats:bold>Methods: </jats:bold>We conducted a mixed methods study design using a tailored 15-item questionnaire in 72 participants and in-depth interviews in 55 participants belonging to 20 Waorani communities asking about their experiences and perceptions of participating in biomedical investigations. Additionally, we conducted a systematic review of the literature in order to crossmatch the published results of studies stating the approval of an ethics committee and individual consent within their work. <jats:bold>Results: </jats:bold>A total of 40 men (60%) and 32 women (40%), with a mean age of 57 ± 15 years agreed to be interviewed for inclusion. Five main categories around the violation of good clinical practices were identified, concerning the obtention of blood samples from a recently contacted Waorani community within the Amazonian region of Ecuador. These themes are related to the lack of adequate communication between community members and researchers as well as the voluntariness to participate in health research. Additionally, over 40 years, a total of 38 manuscripts related to the use of biological samples among Waorani people were published. The majority of the studies (68%) did not state within their article obtaining research ethics board approval, and 71% did not report obtaining the informed consent of the participants prior to the execution of the project. <jats:bold>Conclusion: </jats:bold>Clinical Research on the Waorani community in the Ecuadorian Amazon basin has been performed on several occasions. Unfortunately, the majority of these projects did not follow the appropriate ethical and professional standards in either reporting the results or fulfilling them. The results of our investigation suggest that biological and genetic material, has been used by researchers globally, with some omitting the minimum information required to guarantee transparency and good clinical practices. We highlight the importance of stating ethics within research to avoid breaches in research transparency.
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