by Sophia Griffiths, Communications Officer
Global health emergencies aren’t restricted by language. As we see with the current COVID-19 pandemic, the virus isn’t limited to one country or continent – it affects everyone.
Earlier this year, we published the findings of our two-year inquiry into conducting ethical research in global health emergencies. We couldn’t have envisaged that upon the publication of the inquiry’s report and accompanying materials, we would be on the cusp of a global pandemic. The timeliness demonstrates the importance of our work on an international scale. Many of the issues we raised have emerged as central in the response worldwide to COVID-19 – from the importance of meaningful engagement with those directly affected by emergencies to ensure their voices are heard in research, to the crucial role played by robust health and research systems as part of ‘emergency preparedness’.
That being said, there’s only limited point in publishing a report and materials on global health emergencies in one language.
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