EQUITABLE COLLABORATION BETWEEN HIGH-INCOME AND LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES

Abstract

International collaborations between high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have become crucial in advancing global health, particularly within psychiatric research. These partnerships are instrumental in accelerating scientific discovery and enhancing public health; however, they also highlight significant equity and fairness challenges. Specifically, research partnerships often suffer from imbalances, such as "helicopter" research approaches by HICs and the exploitation or marginalization of LMIC researchers.

Through periodic online meetings held by members of the International Society for Psychiatric Genetics, they have shared their experience in these collaborations and identified gaps in current practices to better refine future collaborative efforts. From these discussions, we have outlined key considerations and strategies for planning, implementing, and disseminating collaborative research. Throughout the collaboration process, we identified potential challenges and opportunities, and provided recommendations to optimize the benefits of such partnerships.

Among our considerations we highlight that Equitable Collaboration begins with comprehensive stakeholder engagement, fostering a participatory environment that includes local communities, governments, and institutions from both HICs and LMICs. Planning and research design should be conducted inclusively emphasizing cultural sensitivity and contextual relevance. Training initiatives are also recommended to be implemented to empower local stakeholders to actively contribute to the research process. As the research progresses, close collaboration between HIC and LMIC researchers could facilitate knowledge exchange and equitable benefit distribution. Ideally, these results are translated into local health policy improvements, promoting sustainable development and empowerment in LMICs. Among potential challenges are differences in ethical research and data sharing frameworks across collaborating countries, inequality in research resources and infrastructure, reduced visibility of research performed in LMICs, which can significantly impact the research outcomes and their applicability, among others.

In conclusion, while global collaboration in psychiatric genetics presents complex challenges, it also offers substantial opportunities for impactful research and improved global mental health. By committing to careful planning, effective communication, ethical practices, and supportive policies, we can foster more equitable health outcomes worldwide.