Abstract
Research ethics committees (RECs) are the institutional equivalent of institutional
review boards (IRBs) with respect to their role in the ethical analysis of research
projects. In Turkey, as in most developing countries, these committees were initiated
as a result of pressure from the Western scientific community. Since their formation,
RECs have faced problems because of an underdeveloped scientific culture and the absence
of established ethical standards. On the one hand, the standards of the RECs and IRBs
in the developed world seemed too hard to achieve; on the other, some of the international
regulatory rules, such as respect for autonomy, are not culturally sensitive. In addition
to problems facing RECs, researchers have had difficulties in fulfilling RECs’
requisites. Respect for autonomy is a good example for Turkey. The social construct
of Turkish society is not based on the Western concept of autonomy; it is based on
“collective autonomy,” which is completely different from the
Western definition. Cultural interpretation of concepts is the perception of concepts
effected by their cultural connections with other concepts. For example, “motherhood”
as a concept has many cultural connections, so when it is used we have to consider
those culturally determined contexts. In some countries, the familiar concept and
term are kept separated from the one that is imported. In others, the imported concept
alters the original concepts content. Although its course varies in different countries,
it always puts extraordinary pressure on RECs and researchers in their relationship
between themselves and other parties with conflicting interests. In this article,
some of the main concerns of RECs in developing countries are discussed, with special
reference to Turkey. The universality of regulatory norms is questioned and the importance
of culturally sensitive and effective safeguards emphasized.
Keywords:
CREC (central research ethics committee), IRB (institutional review board), LREC (local research ethics committee), REC (research ethics committee)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 21,
2003
Received:
November 12,
2002
Identification
Copyright
© 2003 Elsevier Science Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
