Today’s #ResearchTip is to study the hashtags #AfricansAreNotLabRats and #AfricansAreNotGuineaPigs
Which have arisen in response to the latest in a long history of unethical, colonialist and abusive research practices. One summary of this story is here https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2020/04/racism-row-french-doctors-suggest-virus-vaccine-test-africa-200404054304466.html

You may be familiar with this problem, in which case now is the time to challenge this most recent case and educate others about the history of harmful research plus the widespread, catastrophic effects they have had.Ensuring also your research/teaching is not oppressive/harmful.

Equally you may be appalled with this story and horrified to discover the history of abusive and unethical research and the communities who’ve been most adversely harmed by it. If so, take time to learn about what happened and why, who benefitted and who was harmed. Then act.

The immediate effects of unethical research are direct physical, emotional or societal harms. Longer term widespread health issues may be caused, including people avoiding using/trusting healthcare. What systems uphold this and who do they benefit? Find out.

Make a commitment to learn about these practices not as a bad thing someone once did a long while ago but as embedded prejudices that lie within many of our research methodologies and research/healthcare practices. And are often welcomed, praised or supported.

If that last line made you doubtful, assuming nobody could be okay with abusive and exploitative research again go back to the history and examine the present where two doctors, unchallenged on TV, proposed using citizens from an African country as test subjects.

If you’ve got resources to help other researchers understand past and present problems within research, development and healthcare please add them to this thread