Pharmaceuticalisation and ethical review in South Asia: Issues of scope and authority for practitioners and policy makers

Ethical review by expert committee continues to be the first line of defence when it comes to protecting human subjects recruited into clinical trials. Drawing on a large scale study of biomedical experimentation across South Asia, and specifically on interviews with 24 ethical review committee [ERC] members across India, Sri Lanka and Nepal, this article identifies some of the tensions that emerge for ERC members as the capacity to conduct credible ethical review of clinical trials is developed across the region. The article draws attention to fundamental issues of scope and authority in the operation of ethical review. On the one hand, ERC members experience a powerful pull towards harmonisation and a strong alignment with international standards deemed necessary for the global pharmaceutical assemblage to consolidate and extend. On the other hand, they must deal with what is in effect the double jeopardy of ethical review in developing world contexts. ERC members must undertake review but are frequently made aware of their responsibility to protect interests that go beyond the ‘human subject’ and into the realms of development and national interest [for example, in relation to literacy and informed consent]. These dilemmas are indicative of broader questions about where ethical review sits in institutional terms and how it might develop to best ensure improved human subject protection given growth of industry-led research

Fabrication of integrated channel waveguides in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using proton beam writing (PBW): Applications for fluorescence detection in microfluidic channels

10.1117/12.762885Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering6882-PSIS

Sidewall quality in proton beam writing

10.1016/j.nimb.2007.02.012Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms2601455-459NIMB

Sidewall quality in proton beam writing

Abstract Proton beam writing has been shown to allow the fabrication of high aspect ratio nanostructures at sub-100 nm dimension and with smooth and vertical sidewalls. For applications such as the fabrication of waveguides, sidewall smoothness is an important issue. We report results from investigations into side wall roughness measured directly with Atomic Force Microscopy. Structures were written in bulk poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) with 2 MeV protons specifically to allow side access. We studied the effects of different scanning algorithms and also the variation of wall roughness with development time and ion penetration depth. Our results indicate that sidewall rms roughness of less than 7 nm is readily achievable. Multi-loop scanning and optimization of the scanning algorithm can lead to significant improvements in sidewall smoothness

An automatic beam focusing system for MeV protons

10.1016/j.nimb.2005.01.088Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms2311-4389-393NIMB

Whole-cell imaging at nanometer resolutions using fast and slow focused helium ions

10.1016/j.bpj.2011.08.028Biophysical Journal10171788-1793BIOJ

Proton beam writing: A platform technology for nanowire production

10.1007/s00542-007-0514-yMicrosystem Technologies149-111343-134