Enhancing Research Ethics Capacity in Asia: Fogarty International Center Supported Initiatives in India, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Pakistan.

Abstract

Several Asian countries, including India, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Pakistan, face challenges aligning rapid healthcare and biomedical research growth with necessary ethics oversight. To help address this, the Fogarty International Center of the United States National Institutes of Health funded initiatives to enhance research ethics capacities in these countries. In India, the Yenepoya University's Master's in Research Ethics program was established in collaboration with Monash University. In Malaysia, the Master of Health Research Ethics (MOHRE) program, based at Universiti Malaya, was developed in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University. In Myanmar, a Diploma in Research Methodology and Research Ethics (DipRMRE) was introduced in cooperation with the University of Maryland Baltimore. In Pakistan, a Master of Bioethics (MBE) program was designed to address the country's unique ethical challenges in healthcare and research. Graduates from these programs have significantly contributed to health research and policy, enhancing research ethics infrastructure across these diverse Asian countries.