International scope of biomedical research ethics review

In the context of biomedical research involving human subjects, the review of research proposals by ethics committees in virtually every country has traditionally focused on informed consent and other protections for individuals participating in research (1). However, the substantial societal implications of modern biomedical research and the globalization of scientific inquiry make it important to understand whether research ethics review in each country addresses both individual and societal issues. Knowledge of the practices internationally can promote understanding and can suggest possible innovations for specific countries. Below, we explore three related issues: (i) whether biomedical research ethics review considers the societal and long-term implications of the research, (ii) whether bodies charged with performing research ethics reviews are appropriate to consider these issues, and (iii) the feasibility and likely support for embedding multidisciplinary researchers with scientists to study societal and long-term implications. We address current regulatory policies and offer comments about possible changes.