Benefit-sharing and Pharmaceutical Development in Africa: What Does Equity Mean?

ELSI Friday Forum • November 12, 2021

There is an ongoing concern that collaborative genomic research conducted in lower- and middle-income countries by partners in high-income countries, is not always of benefit to the people who participate in such research. In this forum, we will consider newly emerging approaches to benefit sharing in the context of the collection of African genomic samples by companies based elsewhere. Building on an actual case study of a “contractually committed profit-sharing” approach, this session discusses the meaning of “co-creation,” stewardship and the role of community engagement. What does fairness and equity mean in commercial collaborations with lower to middle income countries? South African genomics researcher Prof. Michèle Ramsay and Cameroonian bioethicist Dr. Nchangwi Munung discuss the ethics of benefit-sharing in the context of the history of genomics research and colonial history in Africa.

Panelist: Nchangwi Munung, PhD (University of Capetown)
Panelist: Michèle Ramsay, PhD (University of the Witwatersand)
Moderator: Jantina De Vries, PhD (University of Capetown)

Please see the attached transcript and resources files (located in the upper right-hand corner of the page) for more information on this topic, as well as the ELSIhub Collection "Advancing Ethical Engagement and Benefit Sharing Within International Collaborative Genomic Research Partnerships in Africa."