Supporting countries to manage ethical issues during outbreaks and emergencies

WHO develops ethical guidance on ethical challenges that arise in diverse areas of global health during emergencies and is committed to embedding ethics in technical guidance provided to health ministries. WHO also advises the broader research community on the ethical conduct of research in the context of public health emergencies.

WHO produces training tools for responders, policymakers and public health specialists on ethics in epidemics, emergencies and disasters, focusing on strategies to address complex ethical issues in research, surveillance and patient care.

In addition, WHO facilitates communication and collaboration between stakeholders to build a global ethics community and boost ethics capacity and preparedness around the world. This role is of the upmost importance during global emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic when governments worldwide face similar ethical dilemmas which often require a collective response.

In this capacity, WHO plays a leadership role in coordinating ethics expert groups, the Global Network of WHO Collaborating Centres for Bioethics, the Global Summit of National Bioethics Committees, the Public Health Preparedness and Response Ethics Network (PHEPREN) and its Epidemics Ethics website.

Through these initiatives, WHO is committed to providing effective ethics guidance and support during emergencies.

Health Ethics & Governance Unit
Research for Health Department
Division of the Chief Scientist 
World Health Organization
20, Avenue Appia
CH-1211 Genève 27
Switzerland ct_ethics@who.int