PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Anja Bedeker
AU  - Michelle Nichols
AU  - Taryn Allie
AU  - Tsaone Tamuhla
AU  - Peter van Heusden
AU  - Olorunyomi Olorunsogbon
AU  - Nicki Tiffin
ED  - ,
TI  - A framework for the promotion of ethical benefit sharing in health research
AID  - 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-008096
DP  - 2022 Feb 01
TA  - BMJ Global Health
PG  - e008096
VI  - 7
IP  - 2
4099  - http://gh.bmj.com/content/7/2/e008096.short
4100  - http://gh.bmj.com/content/7/2/e008096.full
SO  - BMJ Global Health2022 Feb 01; 7
AB  - There is an increasing recognition of the importance of including benefit sharing in research programmes in order to ensure equitable and just distribution of the benefits arising from research. Whilst there are global efforts to promote benefit sharing when using non-human biological resources, benefit sharing plans and implementation do not yet feature prominently in research programmes, funding applications or requirements by ethics review boards. Whilst many research stakeholders may agree with the concept of benefit sharing, it can be difficult to operationalise benefit sharing within research programmes. We present a framework designed to assist with identifying benefit sharing opportunities in research programmes. The framework has two dimensions: the first represents microlevel, mesolevel and macrolevel stakeholders as defined using a socioecological model; and the second identifies nine different types of benefit sharing that might be achieved during a research programme. We provide an example matrix identifying different types of benefit sharing that might be undertaken during genomics research, and present a case study evaluating benefit sharing in Africa during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. This framework, with examples, is intended as a practical tool to assist research stakeholders with identifying opportunities for benefit sharing, and inculcating intentional benefit sharing in their research programmes from inception.No data were used in this study.