title: Why ethics is indispensable for good-quality operational research.
abstract: This article outlines challenges encountered when ethics is taught and promoted in the Operational Research courses of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, with a focus on ethical issues related to studies that involve health records reviews. Problems observed by the Ethics Advisory Group include engagement of all stakeholders, maintenance of confidentiality and authorship. The omission of ethics in the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) statement and its explanatory commentary published in 2007 is highlighted and questioned.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Operational Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France ; Ethics Advisory Group, The Union, Paris, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Edginton
authors.affiliation: Centre for Operational Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Enarson
authors.affiliation: Operational Research Unit, Médecins Sans Frontières, Brussels Operational Centre, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zachariah
authors.affiliation: Operational Research Unit, Médecins Sans Frontières, Brussels Operational Centre, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: Centre for Operational Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France ; The Union South-East Asia, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Satyanarayana
authors.affiliation: Centre for Operational Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bissell
authors.affiliation: Centre for Operational Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France ; Center for International Health, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Hinderaker
authors.affiliation: Centre for Operational Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France ; London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harries
keywords: Médecins Sans Frontières; STROBE; The Union; ethics; operational research