DRISHTi Health Research Ethics

Why DRISHTi Health Research Ethics?

The medical and public health response to the COVID19 pandemic suggested a deficiency of knowledge of health research ethics. Promoting drugs without adequate data on efficacy, frequent retractions of publications, compromising the safety of frontline health workers, lack of empathy in the lockdown measures, and a barrage of false information are only a few examples of the shortcomings.

As an immediate response to the need, the DRISHTi Health Research Ethics for health researchers was launched in July 2021. The 10-week long digital course has been designed for health researchers with core focus on health research ethics in the Indian context. 

What will the course cover?

The course covers 10 modules, which are as follows:

1. Introduction to Bioethics

2. History of bioethics in India

3. Informed Consent in Health Research

4. Risk-benefit Analysis

5. Responsible conduct in research & conflict of interest

6. Research Ethics Guidelines (ICMR 2017 guidelines)

7. Good clinical practice

8. Ethics committees and processes of ethics review

9. Community engagement and research with specific populations

10. COVID-19 pandemic through an Ethics lens

The bonus modules of the course also cover material on health communication, social issues in health research, research methodology, and research participant voices. 

Who can apply?

Our course is primarily for early-career health researchers and young health professionals planning to do research. But if you are keen on learning about research ethics, health communications, and the various ways in which the ethical standard of research involving human participants can be upheld, you will surely benefit from this course.

What will you receive?

Certificate of completion

Information about earlier cohorts/testimonials 

The Health Research Ethics course has completed 4 cohorts so far, with a total of 100+ participants. 

Alumni testimonial

“The course has been carefully curated to add tremendous value for anyone involved in biomedical, health, or translational research. The lectures inspire you to become a part of the health research ethics discourse in the country rather than just providing a lot of technical facts. The biweekly seminars involved case studies to cement our understanding from the recorded video lectures and inspired us to approach complex bioethical questions from diverse perspectives. As someone learning health research ethics for the first time, I can surely say that the course made health research ethics one of my favorite subjects.” – Ketan Thorat, Scientist 'D', Regulatory Compliance Officer,  Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine, Bangalore Life Sciences Cluster

“The occasional debates, case discussions and assignments were helpful in reinforcing the content and highlighting the complex nature of doing ethical research in a diverse country like India. The additional material in the form of interviews with relevant stakeholders, like patient rights advocates, doctors from the field, mental justice researchers from under-served communities, and early career researchers, provided key insights into the social and professional context of research investigations.” – Saloni Diwakar, Assistant Professor, Fergusson College; Founder at Nolmë Labs