In a significant stride towards bolstering ethical standards in biomedical research, the International Workshop on Integrity in Biomedical Research unveiled its proceedings on Tuesday at the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSTECH). The event, which also encompassed a high-profile international seminar, has underscored the global commitment to fostering responsible scientific practices.
Addressing the attendees, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, the Coordinator General of COMSTECH, articulated the organization’s steadfast dedication to advancing principled science within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) nations. This commitment has culminated in the release of the papers from last year’s international workshop on integrity in biomedical research, held in Cairo.
Prof. Choudhary underscored the paramount importance of transparency and integrity at every juncture of the research journey – from conceptualization to the dissemination of findings. He emphasized the critical role that integrity plays in the realm of biomedical research and urged the more than 150 participants to uphold the highest ethical benchmarks in their scientific endeavors.
Taking the podium at the international seminar, Prof. Dr. Khalid Saeed Khan, an esteemed scholar affiliated with COMSTECH and the University of Granada, Spain, highlighted instances of retracted research, driving home the necessity for unwavering honesty and openness in biomedical research.
The keynote address was delivered via virtual means by Prof. Dr. Yacoub Khalaf, President of UEARS activities and co-convener of the Cairo consensus group on research integrity, hailing from the United Kingdom. Dr. Khalaf engaged in a thought-provoking discourse on research ethics from an Islamic vantage point, shedding light on challenges to be surmounted and avenues to be capitalized upon.
The event welcomed Mr. Amr Abdallah Morsy, the Counselor at the Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Islamabad, as a special guest. Mr. Morsy lauded COMSTECH and its affiliated bodies for orchestrating the international workshop on research integrity in Cairo the preceding year and, in a continuation of these efforts, for hosting a seminar of international stature in Islamabad. His commendation extended to the experts who enriched both occasions and his emphasis on the pivotal role of integrity and candor in the realm of biomedical research was unequivocal.
The seminar garnered a virtual participation of over 80 attendees from the OIC region, with approximately 50 individuals from the biomedical sector gracing the event in person at COMSTECH’s premises. The congregation stands as a testament to the unwavering commitment of the global scientific community to uphold the highest standards of integrity in the pursuit of biomedical excellence.
