This 5-year proposal, submitted in response to FIC/NIH International Research Ethics Education and Curriculum Development Award, will establish a comprehensive, collaborative, interdisciplinary research ethics training program in Turkey with outreach to C. Asia region. Such a formal educational framework is currently lacking. The program will offer graduate coursework, didactics, research ethics committee and research administration practice and research methods guidance at the Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard School of Public Health to help trainees launch mentored research ethics projects in the LMIC leading to a Master's Degree in Research Ethics in the LMIC (n=15 awards during the grant cycle). The program will have two main tracks for LMIC research: 1- Physician-scientists will concentrate on research ethics questions at the interface of medicine and public health, examining ways to improve informed consent process, enhance human subject protections, and address ethical challenges that frequently arise in designing or conducting research; 2-Other allied health professionals, educators, ethicists, lawyers, with an interest in guidelines, ethical review, regulatory compliance and research administration will concentrate in improvement in implementation of human subjects' regulations and protection systems. The goal of this two-fold strategy is to elevate research ethics as an integral core of clinical and public health research, to develop an currently missing infrastructure for development of research h administration, and to promote this as a regional and global resource. Our successful record of running research training programs over a decade has helped us identify nodal points for intervention and to develop innovative ways to overcome institutional barriers and to address practical challenges in developing, reviewing, conducting, and overseeing health research in Turkey. Modeled after Rockefeller University, the Ko University School of Medicine in Istanbul will serve as the hub in Turkey for the regional LMICs of our research ethics training activities. An International Summer Institute in Research Ethics organized annually in Istanbul will offer scholarships to applicants (n=125 during the award cycle) who will be invited to engage in 2-week long dynamic and interactive research methods and ethics education with US and LMIC faculty and participation of former trainees. The Institute will provide a forum for discussion of a range of research ethics related questions and serve as a nexus for recruitment of talented trainees. The program is likely to bring exceptional value-added to the region in research ethics education, improvement of global health partnerships, and effective implementation of quality of care and evidence-based health practices in the region.

Public Health Relevance

This international research ethics education and curriculum development award brings together a decade long collaborative expertise in research training in Turkey (LMIC) in building an interdisciplinary framework for post- doctoral training of young leadership in the field of research ethics, research administration and public health through a well formed partnership with institutions in the United States and LMIC. The program stands to offer sustainable research ethics capacity development in institutions that is currently lacking in the underestimated Central Asia World Bank region, in which Turkey also belongs. The goal is to provide a solid foundation for development and implementation of well funded research ethics practicum projects leading to a Master's degree in meeting the challenges faced for leadership in this important field the developing world. The program has strong partnerships with pre-existing FIC/NIH, NIMH, NICHD and MCH Bureau funded training networks

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Fogarty International Center (FIC)
Type
Education Projects (R25)
Project #
4R25TW009248-05
Application #
8996219
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1)
Program Officer
Sina, Barbara J
Project Start
2012-04-24
Project End
2017-01-31
Budget Start
2016-02-01
Budget End
2017-01-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Children's Hospital Boston
Department
Type
DUNS #
076593722
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
Ozgumus, A M; Ekmekci, P E (2018) Refugee Health: A Moral Discussion. J Immigr Minor Health :
Ekmekci, Perihan Elif (2017) Patients' Rights in Cross-border Healthcare (Directive 2011/24/EU) and How It Applies to Turkey as a Negotiating Candidate Country. Eur J Health Law 24:432-444
Ekmekci, Perihan Elif (2017) Abortion in Islamic Ethics, and How it is Perceived in Turkey: A Secular, Muslim Country. J Relig Health 56:884-895
Ekmekci, Perihan Elif; Arda, Berna (2017) Interculturalism and Informed Consent: Respecting Cultural Differences without Breaching Human Rights. Cultura (Iasi) 14:159-172
Ekmekci, Perihan Elif (2017) Syrian Refugees, Health and Migration Legislation in Turkey. J Immigr Minor Health 19:1434-1441
Artvinli, Fatih; Erkoç, ?ahap; Karde?, Fulya (2017) Two Branches of the Same Tree: A Brief History of Turkish Neuropsychiatric Society (1914-2016). Noro Psikiyatr Ars 54:364-371
Gökçay, Banu; Arda, Berna (2017) A Review of the Scientific Misconduct Inquiry Process, Ankara Chamber of Medicine, Turkey. Sci Eng Ethics 23:1097-1112
Ekmekci, Perihan Elif (2017) Do we have a moral responsibility to compensate for vulnerable groups? A discussion on the right to health for LGBT people. Med Health Care Philos 20:335-341
Güvercin, Cemal Huseyin; Munir, Kerim M (2017) A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BIOETHICAL ISSUES FROM VIEW POINTS OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS ADMINISTRATION IN TURKEY, ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND ORTHODOX JUDAISM. Acta Bioeth 23:327-339
Ekmekci, Perihan Elif (2016) Physicians' Ethical Dilemmas in the Context of Anti-Doping Practices. Ann Sports Med Res 3:

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