TRUST
TRUST is an EU funded pluralistic project, which aims to foster adherence to high ethical standards in research globally and to counteract the practice of “Ethics dumping” or the application of double standards in research, by co-developing with vulnerable populations tools and mechanisms for the improvement of research governance structures. The vision of the project is to:
- work for global, inclusive and fair research without double standards,
- build equitable research partnerships,
- include the voices of vulnerable populations and
- encourage others to do the same.
Key to the fulfilment of this vision is the involvement of all relevant stakeholders including industry representatives and industry associations.
The program is coordinated at the Centre for Professional Ethics of the University of Central Lancashire (UK), by Prof. Doris Schroeder. Other consortium members include the Council on Health Research for Development Association (Switzerland), the Forum for Ethics Review Committees in India (India), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the South African San Institute (South Africa), the “Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale”, (France), the, the “Action Contre La Faim” (France), the University of Witwatersrand Johannesburg (South Africa), the University of Cape Town (South Africa), the Global Values Alliance (Switzerland), SIGNOSIS (Belgium) and the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (Τhe Netherlands).
PHDA is among the Thirteen European and international partners involved in the TRUST project.
PHDA’s role in this partnership continues to build on over 30 years of interaction and service delivery to Female sex Workers in Kenya under the research collaboration between the University of Manitoba and the University of Nairobi.
Currently Sex Workers Outreach Program (SWOP) under PHDA, undertakes community engagement and provides clinical and preventative services to over 50000 sex workers residing in Nairobi and its environs. The sex workers would otherwise find it difficult to access medical services in the public health facilities due to rampant stigma and discrimination. At the same time those enrolled in the sex workers cohort for HIV prevention services are free to volunteer for available research studies after providing informed consent. The majority of the studies are on the epidemiology of sexually transmitted diseases and the host genetic factors that influence infectivity and disease progression. In May 2016 PHDA hosted the Trust team in Nairobi. Below a link of the proceedings:
http://trust-project.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Meeting-Report-TRUST-Nairobi-Final.pdf