PREPARED Training Clips
ModulesPREPARED Training Clips
The below training clips are concerned with key issues in research ethics and integrity with multidisciplinary relevance - also available with subtitles in Chinese and Spanish to reach wider audiences.
These clips can be used to spark discussion and learning within ethics courses. The topics of the clips all share a deep ethical core that becomes more relatable through storytelling. Short videos are not just passive content, they are triggers for discussion, gateways to empathy, and opportunities for exploring complexity. Whether used to launch a discussion, support a flipped classroom model or as case studies for reflection, they help to anchor theoretical content in real-world relevance.
Research – who benefits?
Humans have been hooked on learning for millennia. From Darwin’s curiosity about evolution to our desire for self-improvement, knowledge fuels our world. But it’s not just about personal growth; it's also about solving global problems and making the world a better place. Researchers use everything from ancient wisdom to cutting-edge technology to uncover new insights. But unless their findings are actually used to solve problems, the vast majority of benefits from research lie only with researchers themselves.
Benefit Sharing
This clip explains the basics of benefit sharing, which is an instrument to increase justice in international research and cross-border access to resources. In the context of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, benefit sharing is contribution-based, i.e. those who contribute to a project or research should benefit from its outcomes. In the context of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights, the benefits of research should be shared with all of society, independent of contribution.
AI Ethics in 5 Minutes
AI ethics is a pressing global concern. Some view AI ethics as a subset of general technology ethics, whilst others argue for its distinct nature. For instance, AI-driven automation raises concerns about unemployment which aligns with fears expressed over past technological advancements. On the other hand, what distinguishes AI ethics from general technology ethics is the demand for regulation that goes beyond previous demand, in particular dedicated ethics committees and impact assessments. The scale of AI's deployment also contributes to the heightened global focus on its ethical implications. Addressing AI ethics challenges is crucial for responsible AI development. Thanks to Prof. Bernd Stahl and Dr Kate Chatfield for comments on the script.
Ethics Dumping
When researchers from privileged circumstances conduct ethically questionable studies in lower-income settings, it's known as 'ethics dumping.' Ethics dumping can create significant challenges and is a growing concern. It is therefore essential that researchers work as closely as possible with local collaborators and reflect together on ways to prevent it. This video explores six different ways ethics dumping can occur, from intentional disregard to unintentional cultural misunderstandings.
Ethics and you
Ever wondered about the ethical compass guiding scientific discovery? This video highlights the long history of teaching and learning, tracing it all the way back to Plato's Academy. While the specific subjects taught have evolved over time, the underlying ethical questions remain relevant. Ethics in research is not merely about compliance but also about moral reflection. Drawing on real-world examples, our training module aims to provide guidance and support for researchers in navigating ethical considerations.
Ethical Controversies around Human Challenge Studies
Is it ethical to intentionally infect healthy volunteers with a deadly virus? This video discusses the ethical controversy surrounding human challenge studies, particularly those involving SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. While these studies can be valuable for scientific progress, they raise concerns about the Hippocratic Oath, which states "first do no harm." Human challenge studies have been used in the development of other vaccines, such as malaria. However, the comparison between malaria and COVID-19 is problematic, as there are approved treatment options for malaria, while at the time of the early COVID-19 human challenge studies, there were no treatment options. Additionally, COVID-19 can cause potentially severe long-term complications.
Healthy Volunteers and Human Challenge Studies
During the COVID pandemic, a London-based programme was the first in the world to intentionally expose 36 healthy volunteers to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, 18 of whom developed the infection. The participants spent two weeks in strict isolation, their only in-person contact being medical staff. This video features quotes from interviews with volunteers from both SARS-CoV-2 and Zika virus human challenge trials. Their primary motivation for joining these studies was a desire to contribute to scientific research and potentially help others.
Scientific collaboration during war
The war in Ukraine has sparked a debate about the future of scientific collaboration with Russia. Some support a boycott, while others argue that collaboration should continue. The German Ministry of Education and Research says that the decision lies with science itself. These different views show the complexity of the issue.
The TRUST values of Fairness, Respect, Care and Honesty
Through a collaborative analysis of real-world exploitation risks with vulnerable populations, the TRUST project developed a code of ethics grounded in four fundamental values: fairness, respect, care, and honesty. The PREPARED project has shown that these four values also apply to research in global crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Through literature reviews in eight languages and by investigating the experiences of marginalised populations during the pandemic, the team identified 144 challenges to research ethics and integrity, which can all be linked to a lack of fairness, respect, care, and honesty.
The TRUST values of Fairness, Respect, Care and Honesty_Vid9
AI Ethics - Helicopter research
Helicopter research occurs when researchers from affluent countries extract data or resources from lower-income regions without considering local needs or ethical concerns. A notable example occurred during the Ebola crisis in 2014. Researchers from high-income countries requested access to vast amounts of mobile phone data from Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia to track population movements, claiming that it would provide significant insights into Ebola transmission. The contrast between the handling of mobile phone data during the Ebola crisis and the German floods of 2021 underscores the double standards often present in helicopter research.
AI and the SDGs
AI has the potential to significantly contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One example is the use of AI for seasonal climate forecasting. This technology can help predict severe weather events like droughts and floods, enabling early intervention and reducing the impact on vulnerable populations. However, research suggests that the benefits of seasonal climate forecasting may disproportionately reach those who are already more resilient or resource rich. For example, cases in Zimbabwe, Brazil, and Peru demonstrate how AI-driven predictions can have a negative impact on vulnerable communities, potentially exacerbating existing inequalities.
Lockdown - The experience of Nairobi sex workers
In Nairobi, an estimated 30,000 sex workers face significant challenges, including extreme poverty. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of lockdown measures, while potentially justified in high-income countries, had a devastating impact on this marginalized community. In this short documentary, Nairobi sex workers share their stories about the impact of lockdown on their lives and on their physical and mental health. A video for PREPARED, from film maker Iddah Akinyi, Music "I Am Iron" by David Fesliyan from www.fesliyanstudios.com.
Fukushima animation for app
On 11 March 2011, a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck Japan, leading to a nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. This disaster resulted in the loss of approximately 20,000 lives and the evacuation of over 110,000 residents, many of whom were resettled in Date City. In 2015, the city of Date requested a researcher from Fukushima Medical University to analyse the radiation exposure data that city officials had collected over the years. Problems with informed consent led to the later retraction of relevant articles.
