Pharmacogenomics in Africa: Ethics, Consent, Data Governance, and Equity
Date: Tue, Apr 21 2026
Organised by: Prof Collet Dandara, Ms Nosipho Mabizela
Affiliation/Institution: University of Cape Town
Overview:
Pharmacogenomics holds great promise for improving drug response and healthcare outcomes across African populations. However, its implementation raises important ethical, legal, and social questions, particularly around consent, data governance, equity, and community engagement. This workshop will provide participants with an in-depth understanding of these challenges and explore practical approaches for applying pharmacogenomics responsibly.
Participants will also examine the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in pharmacogenomic data analysis, including opportunities to accelerate research and improve clinical decision-making, alongside the ethical considerations it introduces, such as bias, transparency, and responsible use. Through interactive discussions, case studies, and expert insights, attendees will learn frameworks for ethical decision-making, equitable access, and responsible data sharing in African healthcare and research contexts. The session will emphasize strategies to integrate FAIR and inclusive practices, ensuring scientific progress benefits all communities fairly.
By the end of the workshop, participants will be equipped to balance innovation, AI-driven insights, and ethical responsibility in the implementation of pharmacogenomics.
Objectives:
- Understand the key ethical, legal, and social considerations in applying pharmacogenomics in African healthcare and research contexts.
- Gain insights into best practices for informed consent, data curation, data governance, and equitable use of pharmacogenomic data.
- Explore strategies for integrating community engagement and inclusivity in pharmacogenomic research.
- Examine challenges and opportunities in balancing scientific progress with ethical responsibility.
- Discuss frameworks for responsible and FAIR data sharing within African and global collaborations.
Learning Outcomes:
- Identify and analyze ethical issues related to pharmacogenomics research and clinical application in Africa.
- Apply principles of informed consent and benefit-sharing in their research or clinical projects.
- Develop strategies for equitable access to pharmacogenomic data and interventions.
- Demonstrate understanding of data curation, data governance practices and responsible data sharing.
- Formulate approaches to integrate ethical, inclusive, and culturally sensitive practices in pharmacogenomic projects.
Target Audience:
Researchers, healthcare professionals, bioinformaticians, data curators, and academics interested in ethical, equitable, and responsible application of pharmacogenomics in Africa.
Prerequisites:
- Understanding data curation, bioinformatics, or biocuration involving genomic or clinical data.
- Interest in ethical, equitable, and responsible application of pharmacogenomics, including consent and data governance.
- Willingness to actively participate in discussions on ethics, equity, and FAIR/inclusive data practices.
Capacity: TBA
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