Ethical issues in global mental health trials

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Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to examine crucial ethical issues related to conducting RCTs that evaluate innovative packages of care and delivery systems for mental disorders in low-resource settings as well as to offer a framework to address relevant ethical issues. We also aim to achieve the attitude change required to perceive ethics as an essential component of high-quality research. Scientists who believe in high-impact research should have a sound understanding of basic ethical principles and the skill to integrate ethics into the design, execution, and dissemination of research. The role of ethics is to ensure that participants are treated with dignity and respect while they contribute to the social good and find the ‘least harmful’ ways to do research. Ethics aims to protect participants from harm caused by science and experimentation and to promote their welfare. However, ethics can and should also promote and protect good science.