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Matimba A, Chimatira A, Kuguyo O, et al. Understanding Ethical, Legal and Societal Issues (ELSIs) in Human Biobanking and Genomics for Research and Healthcare in Zimbabwe: The Genomics Inheritance Law Ethics and Society GILES initiative. AAS Open Res. 2019;2:1doi: 10.12688/aasopenres.12917.1.
Matimba, A., Chimatira, A., Kuguyo, O., January, J., Mupambireyi, Z., Marimbe-Dube, B., Chikwasha, V., Nyati-Jokomo, Z., Muteti, S., Mangezvo, P., Kangwende, A., Chingono, A., Chidzonga, M., Gandari, J., Hakim, J., Nathoo, K., Samkange, C., Mangezi, W., Lee, S., Gwanzura, L., Cho, M., & Ndebele, P. (2019). Understanding Ethical, Legal and Societal Issues (ELSIs) in Human Biobanking and Genomics for Research and Healthcare in Zimbabwe: The Genomics Inheritance Law Ethics and Society GILES initiative. AAS open research, 21. https://doi.org/10.12688/aasopenres.12917.1
Matimba, Alice, et al. "Understanding Ethical, Legal and Societal Issues (ELSIs) in Human Biobanking and Genomics for Research and Healthcare in Zimbabwe: The Genomics Inheritance Law Ethics and Society GILES initiative." AAS open research vol. 2 (2019): 1. doi: https://doi.org/10.12688/aasopenres.12917.1
Matimba A, Chimatira A, Kuguyo O, January J, Mupambireyi Z, Marimbe-Dube B, Chikwasha V, Nyati-Jokomo Z, Muteti S, Mangezvo P, Kangwende A, Chingono A, Chidzonga M, Gandari J, Hakim J, Nathoo K, Samkange C, Mangezi W, Lee S, Gwanzura L, Cho M, Ndebele P. Understanding Ethical, Legal and Societal Issues (ELSIs) in Human Biobanking and Genomics for Research and Healthcare in Zimbabwe: The Genomics Inheritance Law Ethics and Society GILES initiative. AAS Open Res. 2019 Jan 08;2:1. doi: 10.12688/aasopenres.12917.1. eCollection 2019. PMID: 32382699; PMCID: PMC7194152.
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AAS Open Res. 2019 Jan 08;2:1. doi: 10.12688/aasopenres.12917.1. eCollection 2019.

Understanding Ethical, Legal and Societal Issues (ELSIs) in Human Biobanking and Genomics for Research and Healthcare in Zimbabwe: The Genomics Inheritance Law Ethics and Society GILES initiative.

AAS open research

Alice Matimba, Andrew Chimatira, Oppah Kuguyo, James January, Zivayi Mupambireyi, Bazondlile Marimbe-Dube, Vasco Chikwasha, Zibusiso Nyati-Jokomo, Shamiso Muteti, Pedzisayi Mangezvo, Abigail Kangwende, Alfred Chingono, Midion Chidzonga, Jonathan Gandari, James Hakim, Kusum Nathoo, Christopher Samkange, Walter Mangezi, Sandra Lee, Lovemore Gwanzura, Mildred Cho, Paul Ndebele

Affiliations

  1. College of Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
  2. Centre for Sexual Health and HIV Research Zimbabwe (CeSHHAR Zimbabwe), Harare, Zimbabwe.
  3. Faculty of Health Sciences, Africa University, Mutare, Zimbabwe.
  4. Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
  5. Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.

PMID: 32382699 PMCID: PMC7194152 DOI: 10.12688/aasopenres.12917.1

Abstract

Biobanks and human genomics applications are key for understanding health, disease and heredity in Africa and globally. Growing interest in these technologies calls for strengthening relevant legal, ethical and policy systems to address knowledge disparities and ensure protection of society, while supporting advancement of science. In Zimbabwe there is limited understanding of ethical, legal, and societal issues (ELSI) for biobanking and genomics. The Genomics Inheritance Law Ethics and Society (GILES) initiative was established in 2015 to explore the current status and gaps in the ethical and legal frameworks, knowledge among various stakeholders, and to establish capacity for addressing ELSI of biobanking and genomics as applied in biomedical and population research, and healthcare. A multi-methods approach was applied including document reviews, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews among health and research professionals, and community members in six provinces comprising urban, peri-urban and rural areas. Emerging findings indicates a need for updating guidelines and policies for addressing ELSI in biobanking and genomics research in Zimbabwe. Emerging terminologies such as biobanking and genomics lack clarity suggesting a need for increased awareness and educational tools for health professionals, research scientists and community members. Common concerns relating to consent processes, sample and data use and sharing, particularly where there is trans-national flow of biospecimens and data, call for nationally tailored ELSI frameworks aligned to regional and international initiatives. This paper describes the strategy undertaken for the development and implementation of the GILES project and discusses the importance of such an initiative for characterisation of ELSI of human biobanking and genomics in Zimbabwe and Africa. Conducting this explorative study among a wide range of stakeholders over a countrywide geographical regions, established one of the most comprehensive studies for ELSI of human biobanking and genomics in Africa.

Copyright: © 2019 Matimba A et al.

Keywords: Africa; ELSI; Zimbabwe; biobanking; ethics; genomic research; human genomics

Conflict of interest statement

No competing interests were disclosed.

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