BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, 11 November 2026 (PAHO/WHO) - On October 22, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) successfully wrapped up its five-part virtual initiative, the Research Ethics Webinar Series for Health Workers in the Caribbean. Designed to strengthen research ethics capacities and reinforce the foundations of ethical health research across the Caribbean, the series drew some 630 registrants, with an average of 250 participants joining each session.
Participants included health workers, Research Ethics Committee members, academics, civil society organizations, PAHO/WHO personnel, and students in medicine, nursing, allied health, and public health involved in health research.
Addressing Regional Needs and Operational Standards
While Caribbean countries have made steady progress in establishing functional Research Ethics Committees, regional assessments highlighted an ongoing need for specialized ethics training and a transition toward systemic governance. In response, the webinar series emphasized that Member States have a fundamental duty to strengthen national research ethics systems using a systemic approach to guarantee that health research is consistently conducted ethically to ensure the protection of research participants, promote scientifically sound research, and foster trust in research in the Caribbean, even during health emergencies.
The series kicked off on August 26, 2026, with opening remarks delivered by Leah-Mari Richards, Chief, Subregional Program Coordination. Emphasizing the collective responsibility of regional stakeholders, Ms. Richards noted: “Building strong research ethics systems is a collective responsibility, and collaboration across countries and institutions is essential to ensuring that health research in the Caribbean is conducted to the highest ethical standards. Ethics is not simply about compliance with rules and regulations; it is about fostering a culture of responsibility, accountability, and ethical deliberation."
Experts emphasized that strong ethics oversight is essential for all research involving human participants intended to generate generalizable knowledge. The discussions highlighted the critical role of ethics review in protecting research participants and upholding the highest ethical standards, with rigorous evaluation required before studies begin and monitoring throughout the research process.
The series also stressed the structural requirements for ethics committees, noting that committees must be accredited and not operate without national authority oversight. They must be officially authorized to function within their corresponding jurisdictions and provided with appropriate institutional support. Throughout all stages of scientific inquiry, respect for persons entails concrete responsibilities toward participants before, during, and after research, supported by early, sustained, and participatory community engagement across research design, implementation, and dissemination.
Strengthening health research ethics systems requires moving beyond a compliance-based approach to research ethics toward active ethical deliberation, greater capacity, coordination and commitment among all stakeholders involved in research, particularly among Caribbean countries.
Expert-Led Agenda and Interactive Format
Delivered through one-hour virtual sessions, each webinar paired a 40-minute expert presentation with a 20-minute dialogue analyzing real-world case studies and participant experiences.
PAHO Regional Bioethics Advisor Dr. Carla Saenz led the initial sessions on the ethical governance of research and defining what requires ethics review. PAHO expert Sarah Carracedo presented the third session on committee establishment, functioning, and accreditation, while the final two sessions on ethical criteria for research involving human participants were delivered sequentially by Dr. Saenz and Ms. Carracedo, leading up to the final series conclusion.
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Media Contact
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About the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) works with the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of their populations. Founded in 1902, it is the international public health agency for the Americas and serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO).
About the Office for Caribbean Subregional Program Coordination
The Office for Caribbean Subregional Program Coordination complements PAHO/WHO's work at national, regional, and global levels. Located in Bridgetown, Barbados, the Office is charged with the responsibility of strategic cooperation with the major subregional political integration entities and their institutions on health policies, strategies and plans, contributing to key health development objectives in the Caribbean.
