The Ethics of Good Communication in a Complex Research Partnership

Abstract

The tripartite partnership among Morehouse School of Medicine, Tuskegee University, and University of Alabama at Birmingham is complex. In 2005, the three schools—with different institutional cultures, characters, and resources—agreed to collaborate in efforts to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities in cancer burdens. Pursuing this laudable aim predictably involved some miscommunication. The Bioethics Shared Resource (BSR) group foresaw such challenges and monitored interactions to prevent harm, noting that while effective communication is critical to the achievement of mutual goals, an understanding and prudent use of proven communication principles is a sine qua non for success. In this commentary, we share the undergirding moral concepts, communication approaches, and lessons learned. This experience has led us to propose an ethics of good communication for others to consider.

Developing a framework for successful research partnerships in global health

“…“Effective communication is critical to the achievement of mutual goals, an understanding and prudent use of proven communication principles is a sine qua non for success” [ 35 ]. This study reports that communication is crucial for research partnerships to succeed.…”

“…This study reports that communication is crucial for research partnerships to succeed. Having a transparent, open, honest and unambiguous communication strategy laid out before the commencement of research partnerships is vital; that is communications such as meeting notices being circulated on time, agendas, and requests for reports being kept real and simple [ 35 ]. In addition, the ability of partners to seek clarification meant that such communication channels were open to all and remained effective, as seen in this study.…”

The National Clinician Scholars Program: Teaching Transformational Leadership and Promoting Health Justice Through Community-Engaged Research Ethics

“…Working with an awareness of contemporary and historical injustices, community-engaged researchers pay heightened attention to ethical research methods [18], employ practices that promote two-way knowledge exchange, and establish fair procedures for direct community benefit [19]. As Fraser and colleagues say, “collaboration is less an option than an ethical obligation” [20].…”

Formalizing an Integrative, Multidisciplinary Cancer Therapy Discovery Workflow

“…At the beginning of novel cancer therapy discovery, there is a wealth of clinical data available in the literature combined with the empirical observations from clinicians and physician-scientists. This growing amount of data has to be mined, integrated and interpreted within the close dialog of clinicians, biologists and computational biologists; working hypotheses and data specifications need to be clearly and ethically communicated (14). Available information includes clinical processes, such as current protocols and guidelines, positive and negative results from completed clinical trials, PK/PD data as well as biological pathway data from molecular analyses of patient and pharmacology data (15).…”