Realizing Benefit Sharing: Is there a Role for Ethics Review?

The donors of human genetic resources deserve benefits in return for their contribution to scientific research. In the context of developing countries this claim holds as a matter of justice. But how can this demand be realised and implemented? This chapter looks at the role of ethics review as a possible benefit sharing mechanism. In particular the promising role of research ethics committees in monitoring the Declaration of Helsinki‘s post-study obligations is considered. However, a range of obstacles are identified, which would have to be overcome before ethics review could reliably achieve justice for the donors of human genetic resources in developing countries. These issues are addressed in specific recommendations. The chapter concludes that the provision of health care, however extensive, in return for the donation of human genetic resources does not represent undue inducement, but rather fair benefit sharing.