More about the theme for IMBAW 2018
One of the key objectives of ICOMBO is to: “Promote and conduct projects and research regarding multiple birth development, care, and education.” Research with multiples contributes to our knowledge of issues relevant specifically to multiples but also has the potential to contribute transformative insights to our understanding of health and disease for the whole population. However, in conducting research it is critical to consider the multiples community and the impact it may have on them.
During World War II twins were incarcerated in Nazi concentration camps and submitted by force to experiments which caused disease and/or death.
The ICOMBO Declaration of Rights and Statement of Needs of Twins and Higher Order Multiples states that:
Any research involving multiples must be conducted in an ethical and considered manner.
Research involving multiples must:
- include the informed consent of the multiples and/or their parents;
- comply with international codes of ethics governing human experimentation and other types of research;
- consider the perspectives of the multiples and their families in the design of the research; and
- consider the research priorities set by multiples and their families in the 2019 International Priority Setting Partnership and discussion paper.
- Involvement in registries of multiple birth individuals should be voluntary on the part of the multiples.
By raising awareness, we hope that the wider community can understand the value that we can contribute to the pool of human knowledge while ensuring the rights of the multiples themselves are protected.