Ethical governance and oversight in pandemics: the case of Behavioural Science

During infectious disease outbreaks we need effective, ethical, and timely public health responses. These responses serve direct public health mandates, but can be bound up with research or research-like activities, designed to inform and shape both current and future responses. 

The various ethical frameworks and governance mechanisms which are used to oversee and assess such responses, particularly during acute infectious disease outbreaks can sometimes conflict or fail to be properly integrated. 

We will convene experts in public health ethics, research ethics oversight and the behavioural sciences to attend a two-day workshop. Here we will assess the justification for governing behavioural science activities (research and non-research) for public health in the context of infectious disease outbreaks. The workshop will both engage experts and the broader bioethics research community and will produce an academic paper with a future research agenda.