North-South research in developing countries must respond to community's priorities

EDITOR—Edejer observes that North-South research collaboration is plagued by differing interpretations of ethical standards of doing research in developing countries, an example being the controversy over the Bangkok trial of short course zidovudine for perinatal transmission of HIV-1.1

One aspect of this controversy concerned the standard of care offered to patients participating in the study: should it be the best current treatment in the country of the sponsoring institution or the best local treatment? Médecins sans …