Deadline for applications: Friday 17 June 2022, 17:00 CET
Background
The Global Forum on Bioethics in Research (GFBR) will hold a two-day meeting in Cape Town, South Africa in November 2022 on the theme: “Ethics of artificial intelligence in global health research”. GFBR seeks to bring researchers, research policy makers and ethicists, among others together to share experiences and promote collaboration around research ethics. The Forum will be built around case study presentations to ensure that discussion of the ethical issues remain grounded in the practical realities of how research is conducted 'on the ground', particularly in low resource settings. There will also be a session on governance issues. Compared to traditional meetings, GFBR is unique in that it is limited in size and built around small group discussions of case studies and governance papers that are submitted by participants. The Forum prioritises the participation of colleagues from low- and middle- income countries (LMICs), encourages networking and mentoring, and creates a venue for open and inclusive discussions. For more information visit: www.gfbr.global.
GFBR is seeking three types of participants for the meeting:
- Case study presenters will present their research experiences and the ethical issues that have emerged regarding the use of AI in health research in LMIC settings.
- Governance paper presenters will present on topics such as regulation, policies, guidance, tools and issues associated with ethics and other review and oversight mechanisms.
- Participants will attend the meeting and actively take part in plenary and small group discussions and networking opportunities.
Places are awarded on a competitive basis and successful applicants from LMICs will receive an award to cover the cost of their travel, accommodation and single-entry visa.
All interested applicants should review the information below and submit an application no later than 17 June 2022; case study and governance paper presenters will submit proposals with their applications. All applications will be reviewed by the GFBR Planning Committee and selection will be made on the specific selection criteria (see below). Applicants are not limited to academic researchers; staff from government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and private sector organizations are also encouraged to apply if their applications are focused on the theme. If a case study or governance paper is multi-author, and co-authors would like to attend, they must apply separately as participants and state the name of their co-author and title of the proposal in their application.
Selected case study and governance paper presenters will be paired with a member of the GFBR Planning Committee to provide informal mentorship and help them develop their application into a brief paper (2-3 pages) and a PowerPoint presentation. During GFBR, case study and governance paper presenters from around the world will share their presentations and discuss cross-cutting issues, and then participants at the meeting will discuss the challenges and questions raised in both plenary and small group discussion.
This year's meeting is co-organised with local host, the South African Medical Research Council.
Please note: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting date and location will be kept under review. Provisional dates being explored are 15&16 November or 29&30 November.
About the theme
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in global health research but frameworks, policy and best practice for the ethical review and oversight of AI-enabled studies is currently lacking. The Forum will discuss how traditional research ethics regulatory frameworks have responded to the rapid advances in AI technology, and what changes are required, including to the role and responsibility of research ethics committees (RECs). It will explore the ethical challenges such as bias, privacy, data provenance and ownership, along with the need for transparency, accountability and engagement during the design and use of AI in global health research. To date, these discussions have predominantly taken place in high-income countries, and low- and middle-income country (LMIC) perspectives have been underrepresented. The Forum will consider the LMIC context where AI has the potential to address critical skills shortages and improve access to care, but where the ethical challenges are made harder due to existing disparities in infrastructure, knowledge and capacity. The Forum will take a multidisciplinary approach to explore how AI technology is being designed and used in health research, reflecting the range of actors involved in this space and the importance of computer scientists and technologists who apply AI for health to understand research ethics frameworks and considerations.
Please read the background paper for further details on the meeting theme and scope.
Call for participants
Who can attend the GFBR meeting?
The majority of participants are selected through a competitive process[1]. Up to 60 participants will be selected from those eligible who apply by the deadline. We are seeking broad geographical representation, a mix of disciplinary expertise including researchers, clinicians, healthcare workers, bioethicists, policy-makers, health system functionaries, and lawyers, and a combination of people who are early in their careers and leaders in their fields.
Accurate journalistic reporting is essential to ensure that the public are engaged and well informed about the potential benefits and risks of research. For that reason, GFBR will support the participation of up to three journalists from LMICs. The meeting will provide a unique opportunity for talented journalists to network with international experts and forge stronger connections between scientists, ethicists, policy-makers and journalists. Funding support will be provided to LMIC based journalists only.
To apply to attend as a participant or journalist, please provide the following information, in Microsoft Word or pdf document, in English using font Arial, size 10.5. Please do not share sensitive personal health information.
- Complete participant application form
- Short CV (2 pages maximum)
Journalists: Please specify under ‘Your position/title’ that you are applying as a journalist and provide details on the form about:
- Your journalistic experience
- The ways in which you would disseminate the meeting outcomes in your local and regional context, including which media outlets you propose to use and the format of reporting.
[1] The GFBR also directly invites a number of participants e.g. expert speakers or representatives of key organisations.
Interested in presenting at GFBR?
GFBR is also seeking case study presenters and governance paper presenters. Please see the respective calls if you are interested in presenting at GFBR and read the key themes and questions that could be addressed as either a case study or a governance paper.Deadline
All applications should be sent to gfbr@who.int by 17.00 CET on Friday 17 June 2022, in English. Please specify in the subject line whether you are applying to participate, present a case study, present a governance paper or as a journalist. Please ensure you include all the requested information, as incomplete applications can not be considered (see the Checklist below). Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
Awards: Decision making and eligibility for funding
Successful applicants from LMICs who require full funding will receive an award to cover:
- return travel to the meeting (economy airfare and standard ground transportation costs);
- accommodation (2 or 3 nights maximum, including meals);
- a single entry visa (if required).
Participants will be expected to meet all other costs.
The GFBR Planning Committee will select successful candidates (both self-funded and those applying for funded places). The selection committee will consider the following factors when considering the applications:
- Country of origin. We would like to ensure a representative distribution of participants from different regions;
- Background/current area of expertise. Applications will be selected for a diverse representation of many different disciplines, relating to the theme of the meeting;
- Experience of ethical issues related to the use of AI in health research;
- Reasons for attending the meeting. Participants who will be able to actively contribute to the meeting and who expect to achieve impact from the meeting;
- Case study applications and governance papers only: Relevance of the case/paper to the meeting theme and research in LMICs;
- Journalists only: Demonstrated journalistic training and experience and concrete proposals for how the meeting findings will be disseminated, including which media outlets and the format of reporting.
Notification
All applicants will be informed of the Planning Committee’s decision by the 12 August 2022. The decision of the committee will be final.
Privacy
The application form describes the purposes for which WHO will collect and process the personal data you provide in your application and describes your rights as a data subject. WHO’s personal data protection framework includes the WHO Privacy Policy and the UN Personal Data Protection and Privacy Principles, which are available at the following link: https://archives.un.org/sites/archives.un.org/files/_un-principles-on-personal-data-protection-privacy-hlcm-2018.pdf