A Critical Discussion on the Relevance of Biosocial Science Research Ethics Codes and Principles for Social Science Researchers in Africa

Abstract

The chapter will critically discuss some popular biomedical research ethics codes and principles in order to determine their relevance for social science researchers in Africa and to stress the importance of ethical consent. Research done on health in Africa reveals that African societies, especially those found in sub-Saharan Africa, face a double encumbrance of infectious and chronic diseases. As a result of this challenging health situation, there is currently a lot of research going on in Africa in an effort to address the situation. With the world’s recognition of the significance of Africa’s rich genetic diversity for biomedical research, more international research projects are being initiated. Some of these research initiatives raise unique ethical challenges that arise from the interaction between frontline science and traditional communities that have their own unique worldviews and research contexts. There are cases where research ethics codes and principles appear to be inadequate to help in the face of the said challenges. This brings into question the relevance of such ethical frameworks for researchers in Africa. This apparent inadequacy of the international ethical frameworks to help researchers has prompted a desire to want to closely examine the relevance of these frameworks for the African context. Thus this chapter is intended to critically appraise some of the most commonly applied or used international research ethics codes and principles with the aim of determining their relevance for the sub-Saharan African context.