Patricia Marshall, Charmaine D M Royal, Ruth Chadwick
{"title":"Translational Science, DNA Commercialization, and Informed Consent: The Need for Specific Terminology, Insights from a Review of H3Africa Projects.","authors":"Patricia Marshall, Charmaine D M Royal, Ruth Chadwick","doi":"10.1159/000521371","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the past decade, there has been an acceleration in genomic research, its applications, and its translation into healthcare products and services for the benefit of public health. These advances are critical to realizing the potential of genomic research for facilitating improved health and disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Despite its tremendous opportunities, the dynamic and increasingly global landscape of genomic research commercialization has been accompanied by a variety of ethical challenges and concerns. The potential for unauthorized use of DNA samples from African people to develop a DNA chip amplifies discussion on the meanings, implications, and impacts of commercialization, benefit sharing, and appropriate consent in genomic research. Leadership of the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Consortium convened a panel of experts to review research ethics practices employed in H3Africa Consortium projects and make recommendations regarding commercialization. Eighteen investigators submitted documents for projects involving data sharing and use of genetic information. A total of 39 informed consent documents associated with the 18 projects were reviewed. All 18 projects specified that samples would be used in future research. Less than half of the projects included language noting that samples could be used in drug or product development, that DNA samples would not be sold, and that profits would not be shared with participants. Four projects referred to commercialization. Analysis of information included in consent documents contributed to the development of a Commercialization Typology. The Typology identifies factors to consider regarding acceptability of particular instances of commercialization. DNA samples for translational research in product development require a transparent commercialization framework to inform the consent process.</p>","PeriodicalId":49650,"journal":{"name":"Public Health Genomics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3000,"publicationDate":"2022-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9216313/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Public Health Genomics","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000521371","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"GENETICS & HEREDITY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
In the past decade, there has been an acceleration in genomic research, its applications, and its translation into healthcare products and services for the benefit of public health. These advances are critical to realizing the potential of genomic research for facilitating improved health and disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Despite its tremendous opportunities, the dynamic and increasingly global landscape of genomic research commercialization has been accompanied by a variety of ethical challenges and concerns. The potential for unauthorized use of DNA samples from African people to develop a DNA chip amplifies discussion on the meanings, implications, and impacts of commercialization, benefit sharing, and appropriate consent in genomic research. Leadership of the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Consortium convened a panel of experts to review research ethics practices employed in H3Africa Consortium projects and make recommendations regarding commercialization. Eighteen investigators submitted documents for projects involving data sharing and use of genetic information. A total of 39 informed consent documents associated with the 18 projects were reviewed. All 18 projects specified that samples would be used in future research. Less than half of the projects included language noting that samples could be used in drug or product development, that DNA samples would not be sold, and that profits would not be shared with participants. Four projects referred to commercialization. Analysis of information included in consent documents contributed to the development of a Commercialization Typology. The Typology identifies factors to consider regarding acceptability of particular instances of commercialization. DNA samples for translational research in product development require a transparent commercialization framework to inform the consent process.
期刊介绍:
''Public Health Genomics'' is the leading international journal focusing on the timely translation of genome-based knowledge and technologies into public health, health policies, and healthcare as a whole. This peer-reviewed journal is a bimonthly forum featuring original papers, reviews, short communications, and policy statements. It is supplemented by topic-specific issues providing a comprehensive, holistic and ''all-inclusive'' picture of the chosen subject. Multidisciplinary in scope, it combines theoretical and empirical work from a range of disciplines, notably public health, molecular and medical sciences, the humanities and social sciences. In so doing, it also takes into account rapid scientific advances from fields such as systems biology, microbiomics, epigenomics or information and communication technologies as well as the hight potential of ''big data'' for public health.