Ethox Seminar: Equity in clinical trial partnerships
Abstract
Equitable research partnerships are fundamental to achieving global health justice. Despite the proliferation of toolkits designed to foster fair collaboration, their practical impact remains limited. As a result, researchers often rely on internationally recognised research ethics and clinical trial guidelines. While these documents reflect global consensus, they were not primarily developed to address the complex power dynamics that shape research partnerships. This presentation draws on a critical analysis conducted as part of a World Health Organisation-funded project supporting the implementation of the World Health Assembly resolution on strengthening the clinical trials ecosystem. We examined how widely endorsed international research ethics guidelines articulate principles of fairness and equity in clinical trial partnerships. Our findings reveal a significant gap: although partnership principles and values are occasionally referenced, explicit normative guidance for achieving genuinely equitable partnerships is lacking. I will present preliminary findings, explore their implications for advancing equity in global health research, and offer practical recommendations. This talk aims to foster dialogue on moving from consensus statements to actionable, context-sensitive guidance.

This will be a hybrid seminar in the Richard Doll Building, Ground Floor Rosemary Rue Rooms, or on Zoom (medsci.zoom.us/j/93793340293)
Date: 15 July 2025, 10:30
Venue: Richard Doll Building, Old Road Campus OX3 7LF
Venue Details: Rosemary Rue Rooms
Speaker: Dr Farirai Mutenherwa (Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics)
Organising department: Ethox Centre
Organiser: Aileen Mooney (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address: admin@ethox.ox.ac.uk
Part of: Ethox Centre Seminars
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Public
Editors: Aileen Mooney, Shakira Morar