What standard of care can clinical trial participants expect once the trial is over? Richard Ashcroft explores the ethical arguments for responsibilities of both researchers and sponsors of trials.

Sue Eckstein reviews existing schemes to build capacity in research ethics in developing countries, which range from sponsored academic degree programmes to tailored courses and one-off meetings.

James Lavery provides an introduction to the regulation of international human subjects research, describing the different approaches used, and highlighting some of the challenges faced.

Ethical review committees are the main way of ensuring that clinical research conforms to ethical standards. But, as Zulfiqar A. Bhutta explains, the work of such committees is severely constrained in many developing countries.

Brian Greenwood & William P. Hausdorff discuss the controversial area of what happens on completion of a clinical trial - in particular the extent of the ethical responsibilities of researchers and sponsors - and ways in which these responsiblities can be met.

This policy brief explores one of the most contentious issues in research ethics, namely the level of treatment or other medical intervention – usually referred to as the ‘standard of care’ – that should be given to participants in clinical trials.