16th Forum – Cape Town, South Africa, 29-30 November 2022

The World Health Organization, Wellcome and the South African Medical Research Council

 

Supported by:

• The Wellcome Trust
• Medical Research Council-United Kingdom (MRC UK)
• National Institutes of Health-Fogarty International Center (NIH-FIC)
• The South African Medical Research Council

Members of the Planning Committee for this meeting were:

• Joseph Ali, Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, USA
• Caesar Atuire, University of Ghana, Ghana (GFBR Steering Committee Member)
• Niresh Bhagwandin, South African Medical Research Council (local host representative)
• Phaik Yeong Cheah, Oxford University and MORU, Thailand (GFBR Steering Committee Member)
• Judy Gichoya, Emory University & DATA Scholar for DS-I Africa, USA
• Armando Guio, Berkman Klein Centre for Internet & Society, Harvard University, USA
• Daudi Jjingo, College of Computing & College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda
• Katherine Littler, Global Health Ethics & Governance Unit, WHO, Switzerland (GFBR Steering Committee Member)
• Tamra Lysaght, University of Singapore, Singapore
• Daniela Paolotti, ISI Foundation, Italy
• Jay Shaw, University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics, Canada
• Effy Vayena, Health Ethics and Policy Lab, Institute of Translational Medicine, ETHZ, Switzerland

Programme details

The conference booklet includes the meeting agenda, case study write-ups, governance papers and abstracts for the Pecha Kuchas. The individual papers and presentations can be found below.

 

Presentations

Videos of the plenary presentations are available here.

 

Keynote

Effy Vayena, Health Ethics and Policy Lab, Institute of Translational Medicine, ETHZ, Switzerland (slides not available)

 

Pecha Kucha

Chair: Phaik Yeong Cheah, Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Thailand

 

Analysing a local imbalance of power ethics: University of Ghana vs. Data Commission

Athanasius Egyarkoh Afful, University of Ghana, Ghana (abstract, slides)

 

Ethical concerns in the use of AI for patient safety research: an examination of the adequacy of Nigerian laws

Dorcas Akinpelu, University of Ibadan, Nigeria (abstract, slides)

 

Who minds the machines? Developing a governance framework for pre-market authorisation of responsible AI applications in healthcare in South Africa

Irvine Sihlahla, University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa (abstract, slides)

 

Future nanomedicines: building a regulatory framework for the first in-human nanoswarm cancer clinical trial

Matimba Swana, University of Bristol, UK (abstract, slides)

 

International AI research: the issue of moral pluralism

Serene Ong, National University of Singapore, Singapore (abstract, slides)

 

Theme 1: Emerging issues in research methodology

Introduction to the theme
Daudi Jjingo, Makerere University, Uganda

 

A silent trial is critical to accountable and justice-promoting implementation of artificial intelligence in healthcare

Melissa McCradden – The Hospital for Sick Children, Canada (written paper, slides)

 

The PSYLECT study: opportunities and pitfalls of digitizing a clinical trial in a LMIC

Andre Brunoni – University of São Paulo Medical School, Brazil (written paper, slides)

 

Theme 2: Importance of local context and engagement when developing AI tools

Introduction to the theme
Jay Shaw, University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics, Canada

Ethical issues associated with the development of an ear biometric tool for patient identification in Zambia

Alinani Simukanga – University of Zambia, Zambia (written paper, slides)

 

Adherence vs agency: AI for behaviour change in health

Niyoshi Shah – Quicksand Design Studio, India (written paper, slides)

 

Feasibility, acceptance and ethical considerations of a mobile clinical decision support system in Botswana

Kagiso Ndlovu – University of Botswana, Botswana (written paper, slides)

 

Theme 3: Collaborative initiatives and data resources to support AI health research

Introduction to the theme
Judy Gichoya, Emory University, USA

 

Ethical considerations in implementing the Data Advancing Wellness in Africa (DAWA) Project

Gakii Masunga – Harvard Medical School, USA (written paper, slides)

 

Responsible research and development in AI for healthcare: what we are learning from establishing a national collaborative platform in the UK

Kate Devlin – King’s College London, UK (written paper, slides)

 

Summary of day 1 (video only)

• Sharon Kaur, University of Malaya, Malaysia
• Anna Chiumento, University of Edinburgh, UK

 

 

Theme 4: Regulation of data for health research involving AI

Introduction to the theme
Effy Vayena, Health Ethics and Policy Lab, Institute of Translational Medicine, ETHZ, Switzerland

 

Governance of cross-border transfer of data in Sub-Saharan Africa

Nezerith Cengiz – Stellenbosch University, South Africa (written paper, slides)

 

Regulation of health data for AI in Uganda

Harriet Nankya – Makerere University, Uganda (written paper, slides)

 

Theme 5: Issues associated with research ethics frameworks and ethics review

Introduction to the theme
Joe Ali, Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, USA

 

Recommendations for the development of ethical guidelines for AI-related health research in Egypt

Ahmed Samir Abdelhafiz – National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Egypt (written paper, slides)

 

The proverbial black box that is ethics of AI in global health research: Are our Kenyan RECs well equipped to review ethics?

Brenda Odero – Strathmore University, Kenya (written paper, slides)

 

Reframing research ethics frameworks to include environmental sustainability

Gabrielle Samuel – King’s College London, UK (written paper, slides)

 

Pecha Kucha

Chair: Paul Ndebele, Georgetown University, USA

 

A shift to openness: open consent and open science in AI health research in South Africa

Meshandren Naidoo, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (abstract, slides)

 

A regulatory framework for AI-health research in the Caribbean

Derrick Aarons, The Caribbean Public Health Agency, Jamaica (abstract, slides)

 

How to translate universal principles to local realities: the Chilean experience in AI

Sofia Salas, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Chile (abstract, slides)

 

Developing a governance framework for data science health research in Nigeria

Oluchi Maduka, Center for Bioethics and Research, Nigeria (abstract, slides)

 

Adaptability of India’s Health Data Regulations

Rupanjali Karthik, Duke University, USA (abstract, slides)

 

Concluding panel discussion (video only)

Chair: Katherine Littler, World Health Organization, Switzerland

 

Panel:

• Ross Upshur, University of Toronto, Canada
• Teck Chuan Voo, National University of Singapore, Singapore
• Keymanthri Moodley, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
• Armando Guio, Harvard University, USA
• Caesar Atuire, University of Oxford and University of Ghana

 

Presentation of awards and announcement about next year’s meeting

• Katherine Littler, World Health Organization, Switzerland
• Ana Palmero, Ministry of Health, Argentina

A background paper was prepared in advance of the meeting and provides an overview of the key ethical issues raised by this important topic.

The meeting report summarises the meeting presentations and the range of views that were expressed, while a separate policy overview draws together cross-cutting themes from across the five sessions.

We are very interested to hear about participants’ post-meeting activities. Please do keep us up-to-date by emailing gfbr@who.int.