In 2007, CBEC faculty including Dr. Farhat Moazam, Dr. Riffat Zaman and Dr. Aamir Jafarey conducted an ethnographic study with kidney vendors in Sargodha, Pakistan. This study was subsequently published in the “Hastings Center Report. ” The picture shows Dr. Zaman and Dr. Moazam interviewing research participants in a village.
RESEARCH TRENDS AT CBEC: AN OVERVIEW
Sualeha Shekhani*
Over the past two decades, CBEC’s research portfolio showcases a remarkable diversity. This reflects not only the varied interests of the faculty but also illustrates the academic liberty provided to faculty, unconstrained by international funding requirements, to engage in relevant conversations within bioethics.
Four thematic areas prominently emerge from CBEC’s work:
Ethical Issues Related to Kidney Donation: Given CBEC’s association with SIUT, organ transplantation has been a natural focus leading to several publications. Faculty research includes public perspectives on deceased kidney donation in Pakistan, a country where demand for organs far exceeds the supply. During Pakistan’s notorious years as a kidney bazaar, CBEC conducted an ethnographic study in rural Sargodha, Punjab, a kidney trade hub. Conversations with kidney vendors provided insights into the socioeconomic hardships driving organ sales.
Gender-related Issues: CBEC has explored gender debates through a sociocultural lens. One notable study examined why many female medical graduates do not enter the workforce, amid concerns over Pakistan’s poor physician-patient ratio. The study found that ingrained gender roles and the societal importance of marriage contribute to this trend. An abridged version of this study later appeared in the national lay press as well, stirring public discourse. Building on the study with medical students, faculty are now exploring perspectives of male and female surgeons about women in surgery in Pakistan,
Mapping Research Ethics Structures: CBEC undertook mapping Pakistan’s research ethics governance structures, assessing the number, structure, strengths, and weaknesses of ethical review committees. This effort aimed to highlight the research ethics landscape in Pakistan, and provide an evidence base illustrating the variation in the quality of ethical review across institutions, with hopes of informing policy for the national accreditation of ethics committees.
Ethical Issues in Clinical Medicine: Ethical issues in clinical practice such as informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, and disclosure have been explored, and how these concepts manifest within Pakistan’s cultural realities.
These thematic areas underscore CBEC’s commitment to addressing pressing bioethical issues through diverse and methodologically varied research but with a Pakistani twist.