title: Ethics committees in western and central Africa: concrete foundations.
abstract: The involvement of developing countries in international clinical trials is necessary for the development of appropriate medicines for local populations. However, the absence of appropriate structures for ethical review represents a barrier for certain countries. Currently there is very little information available on existing structures dedicated to ethics in western and central Africa. This article briefly describes historical milestones in the development of networks dedicated to capacity building in ethical review in these regions and outlines the major conclusions of two workshops on this issue, which were held in September and October 2002 in Libreville, Gabon, and Paris, France. The workshops were the culmination of collaboration between the African Malaria Network Trust (AMANET) and the Pan African Bioethics Initiative (PABIN). They produced an update on ethics organizations with regard to mission, function, activities, members, and contact people, in eight countries within the regions discussed. As a result of the commitment of mandated delegates, a further prominent outcome followed these workshops: the creation of national structures, where none existed before, dedicated to the ethical review of clinical trials.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Effa
authors.forename: Achille
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Massougbodji
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ntoumi
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Debois
authors.forename: Marissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vicari
authors.forename: Assetou
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Derme
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ndemanga-Kamoune
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nguembo
authors.forename: Benido
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Impouma
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Akué
authors.forename: Armand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ehouman
authors.forename: Alioune
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dieye
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kilama
mesh_terms: D000350:Africa, Central; D000354:Africa, Western; D026688:Bioethical Issues; D002163:Cameroon; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000941:ethics*; D026724:Ethical Review; D028744:Ethics Committees, Research; D032984:Ethics, Research; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D012952:Societies