Ethical Considerations of Human Investigation in Developing Countries

Abstract

As pressure mounts within the scientific community to find a vaccine and develop strategies for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, researchers are turning to developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where large patient populations at risk for HIV infection can be identified and studied. Research funding is being offered by the National Institutes of Health and other agencies to establish collaborative study units, and American and European investigators, often unfamiliar with the culture, customs, and economic pressures within these developing countries, are designing large-scale studies. Although there is an urgent need to control the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome . . .