The medical team from the Ministry of Public Health in a mobile laboratory at the Bikoro referral hospital on 05/13/2018 as part of the response to the Ebola epidemic in. Photo John Bompengo”/>
African experts in medical ethics have been developing, since Wednesday March 15 in Kinshasa, a protocol to be respected during the occurrence of an epidemic.
Gathered in a workshop organized by the National Health Ethics Council of the DRC (CNES), these experts from 5 African countries will use the experience of managing epidemics in their respective countries.
According to Professor Félicien Munday, director of CNES, this protocol should particularly govern the testing of new drugs in times of epidemic:
“You know that we have experienced that in the event of an epidemic, it is the fear of drugs, it is the fear of death but during that time, we have to try drugs to fight the disease. But now, how should the researcher behave towards the people who are going to take the drugs”.
This protocol will explain in particular the attitude of healthcare providers towards people subjected to drug trials.
“The ethics committee must explain that this drug is being tested so that the person knows in advance that they are trying a drug. As it is a drug in trial, it can have consequences on his health, you must explain it clearly that this drug can damage your liver, for example. May damage your heart, may affect your kidneys. Despite this danger do you agree to take this drug, ”he added.
This workshop, which ends this Friday, March 17, is organized in collaboration with the Francophone African Network for Health Ethics (RAFES).