RESEARCH ETHICS IN BENIN: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF A DECADE OF PRACTICE WITHIN THE RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEES

Abstract

In Benin, the history of research ethics dates back about a decade. It finds its origins in the democratic context, the scientific climate in favor of the promotion of research and the influence of financial partners. This is a relatively recent process marked by numerous issues and challenges that this research aims to examine through the practices promoted within Research Ethics Committees (RECs). The methodological approach is based on a review of the literature, interviews with actors of different profiles and observations during the RECs deliberation sessions. In Benin, any research project involving human beings should be approved and monitored by a regularly constituted REC. But in reality, few projects are subject to ethical evaluation. The reasons for requesting an ethical opinion relate to the requirements of the financial partner (often foreign) and the obligation to respect the editorial standards of an international journal. Made up of a heterogeneous group of actors, the RECs are not always the place for the expression of an open discussion which takes into account the plurality of its members and the divergent level of understanding and appreciation of the phenomena. Finally, the method of recruiting research participants, the methods of obtaining consent, the question of risks and disadvantages and benefits for participants, are specific issues that deserve to be apprehended.