Ethics in laboratory medicine: an African perspective

Abstract

Ethics are a set of principles of right conduct and represent moral principles based on cultural norms and values, some of which have been turned into laws or rules and regulations. Laboratory medicine, as with all other areas of medicine, must adhere to high ethical standards. These are important in both the clinical and research settings and apply to the pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical phases of the laboratory. This article addresses ethics in laboratory medicine, highlighting challenges unique to the African continent which may result in unique ethical perspectives. Some of these challenges include cultural and language diversity, lack of resources, absence of a regulatory framework, and the scarcity of trained laboratory professionals. Despite the many challenges, the laboratory practitioner must always seek to benefit the patient or research participant. Sound leadership is critical to enable the achievement of high ethical standards.