The Regional Program on Bioethics strengthens the development of bioethics. We build capacity in bioethics in the region and support PAHO and Member States in the integration of bioethics in all health-related activities. For background information about the Program, visit Bioethics (Concept paper, 2012). The pillars of the Program's work are research ethics and public health ethics. To learn more about the regional progress and pending challenges, visit Bioethics: Towards the Integration of Ethics in Health: Final Report (2018). The Regional Bioethics Program also houses the PAHO Ethics Review Committee (PAHOERC). PAHOERC reviews all research with human subjects in which PAHO is involved.
Areas of work
1. Research ethics:
We strengthen research ethics systems to ensure that research is always ethical.
2. Public health ethics:
We work on systematically integrating ethics into ongoing public health work and decision-making processes that impact on the population of the countries in the Americas.
What is the difference between the duties of the Regional Program on Bioethics and the Ethics Office in PAHO?
The Regional Program on Bioethics works in bioethics as the discipline that studies the ethical problems that arise in regards to health, for example, when conducting research with human subjects, designing health policy, or providing health care.
The Ethics Office seeks to ensure that PAHO employees behave ethically in the exercise of their work: With professional integrity and following the rules of conduct of the Organization.
Which are the different areas within bioethics?
Ethical problems permeate all areas of work in health. Health-related activities can be therapeutic (aimed at a direct benefit) or non-therapeutic (aimed at the generation of knowledge). Furthermore, they can aim at the individual or collective level.
The health activity that seeks the benefit of individuals in health care and the ethical problems that arise in this context are the subject of clinical ethics. The health activity that seeks the benefit of populations is a public health and the ethical problems that arise in this context are the subject of public health ethics. The health activity that doesn't seek a direct benefit for individuals but rather seeks for the generation of knowledge in health research. The ethical problems that arise when conducting health research are the subject of research ethics. Health research can either be clinical research or public health research. Research ethics covers both since they share the same normative and regulatory framework.
Highlights
NEW WEBPAGE: Catalyzing ethical research in emergencies (Full publication and its summaries in four languages with its inputs)
Webpage in Spanish
PUBLICATION: Indicators for strengthening national research ethics systems
Available in Spanish | French | Portuguese
PAHO'S SPANISH TRANSLATION: Ética de la salud pública: Casos de todo el mundo from the original work Public Health Ethics: Cases Spanning the Globe.
Resources
- Publications
- Ethics Technical Documents on COVID-19
- Webpage Catalyzing ethical research in emergencies
- Videos on Research Ethics
- Webinars & Virtual Events
- Ethical Research Listserv
- Public Health Ethics Listserv
Mandates
- CD56/1NF/21 - Bioethics: Towards the Integration of Ethics in Health: Final Report (2018)
- CSP28/14, Rev. 1 (Eng.) Bioethics: Towards the Integration of Ethics in Health. Concept paper (Sept. 2012)
- CSP28/R18 - Bioethics: Towards the Integration of Ethics in Health. Resolution (Sept. 2012)
External Resources
Recent Publications
Recommendations for ethical monkeypox (mpox) surveillance (Dec. 2022)
Available in Spanish | French | Portuguese
Indicators for strengthening national research ethics systems (Sept. 2021)
Available in Spanish | French | Portuguese
Webinars and Videos
Regional Dialogue: Catalyzing ethical research in emergencies. Ethics guidance, lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and pending agenda (Apr. 26, 2022)
News
Events
8 Apr 2022
