Communicating ethical issues in health care and biomedical advances via new plays for the theatre and theatre workshops - Indian experience

Communicating ethical Communicating ethical issues in health care and issues in health care and

biomedical advances via new biomedical advances via new plays for the theatre and plays for the theatre and

theatre workshops - Indian theatre workshops - Indian experience experience

Hemalatha Somsekhar, Hemalatha Somsekhar, Public Health Foundation of India Public Health Foundation of India

““SCIENCE AND COMMUNITY – ENGAGE TO SCIENCE AND COMMUNITY – ENGAGE TO EMPOWER”EMPOWER”

3 - 5 December 20083 - 5 December 2008

““Centrally Co-ordinated Centrally Co-ordinated Bioethics Education for India” Bioethics Education for India”

funded by Fogarty International Center, funded by Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, USANational Institutes of Health, USA

Nandini K. Kumar – Program DirectorNandini K. Kumar – Program DirectorVasantha Muthuswamy – Co-Program Vasantha Muthuswamy – Co-Program

DirectorDirector

Indian Council of Medical ResearchIndian Council of Medical ResearchNew Delhi, India New Delhi, India

Types of training offered Types of training offered (April 2005 - November 2008)(April 2005 - November 2008)

3-day Symposia on Bioethics for Medical Undergraduates & Medical/Non- medical Postgraduate students (4)

1-day Workshops on Ethical Review for Protection of Human Subjects in Research for Researchers and Ethics Committee Members (10)

3-day Regional Workshops on Bioethics for researchers, faculty members and members of Ethics Committees of medical/research institutions

(4)

5-day International Workshop on Research Ethics for National and International researchers, faculty members and members of Ethics Committees of medical/research institutions (1)

Types of training offeredTypes of training offered(April 2005 - November 2008)(April 2005 - November 2008)

5-day Training program “Ethics in Social Science Research Related to

Health” (1)

2-day Workshops on Ethical Issues in Clinical Research and Clinical Trials in India (2)

5-week Long term training Program on Bioethics with a Concluding session 6 months later (1)

4-week Long term training Program on Bioethics presently being conducted in Bangalore (1)

24 training programs in 44 months

Total no of traineesTotal no of trainees No of trainees

trained/sensitised

Total proposed (4 year period)

UGs/PGs 511 600

International 14 24

Researchers/IEC members

1175 400

Long-term training

31 32

Total trained/sensitised

1731+27 1056

Symposia/SeminarsSymposia/Seminars

NIH- funded Bioethics Program, August –September 2007Bangalore, India

31 trainees with faculty and ethics committee members

NIH- funded Bioethics Program Films followed by questionnaires & discussions Films followed by questionnaires & discussions Drama Workshops as part of bioethics training programs Drama Workshops as part of bioethics training programs

(participants acted out ethical issues) (participants acted out ethical issues) Video recording of plays related to research and medical Video recording of plays related to research and medical

practicepractice

Evaluation Evaluation Relevance of TopicRelevance of Topic Effectiveness of presentationEffectiveness of presentation Adequacy of discussionAdequacy of discussion Overall rating of sessionOverall rating of session Any other commentsAny other comments

Over 95 % of the participants rated use of films and drama Over 95 % of the participants rated use of films and drama very highly in conveying/stressing ethical issues related to very highly in conveying/stressing ethical issues related to biomedical research/practicebiomedical research/practice

Imagining the Future Imagining the Future IndiaIndia TheatrescienceTheatrescience

Collaborative activity between UK theatre organizations, Collaborative activity between UK theatre organizations, Indian theatre companies, Indian theatre practitioners, Indian theatre companies, Indian theatre practitioners, writers, scientists, teachers and studentswriters, scientists, teachers and students

8-day event of work-in-progress presentations, play 8-day event of work-in-progress presentations, play readings, workshops, seminars and post-event readings, workshops, seminars and post-event discussions with the public:discussions with the public: 5 new plays, two school 5 new plays, two school projects and numerous workshops and seminars on projects and numerous workshops and seminars on biomedical issues.biomedical issues.

Presentations had a scientific basis and were the result Presentations had a scientific basis and were the result of intensive research by both the actors and playwrights. of intensive research by both the actors and playwrights.

Scientists and clinicians were involved in the Scientists and clinicians were involved in the development of all scripts. development of all scripts.

Imagining the Future Imagining the Future IndiaIndia 'Bad Blood Blues' by Paul Sirett'Bad Blood Blues' by Paul Sirett 'Idiot Wind' by Farhad Sorabjee'Idiot Wind' by Farhad Sorabjee 'The Laboratory' by Shivani Tibrewala'The Laboratory' by Shivani Tibrewala

'Crab Soup' by The Creative Arts of Kolkata'Crab Soup' by The Creative Arts of KolkataWriter: Arthur Cardozo, Director: Ramanjit KaurWriter: Arthur Cardozo, Director: Ramanjit Kaur

'Invisible River' by ART (Artist Repertory Theatre) of Bangalore'Invisible River' by ART (Artist Repertory Theatre) of BangaloreWriter: Gautam Raja, Director: Ruchika ChananaWriter: Gautam Raja, Director: Ruchika Chanana

School Plays:School Plays: 'The Resurrection of Neeru’ by Mallya Aditi International School 'The Resurrection of Neeru’ by Mallya Aditi International School

(MAIS)(MAIS)Writers: Students, Director: TT VenkateshWriters: Students, Director: TT Venkatesh

'Di-Hydrogen Monoxide,' by Vidya Niketan School (VNS) 'Di-Hydrogen Monoxide,' by Vidya Niketan School (VNS) Writers: Shreya Krishnan and Students, Director: Shreya Writers: Shreya Krishnan and Students, Director: Shreya KrishnanKrishnan

Long term training Program on Bioethics

Reading of a play “The Laboratory” was organized for Reading of a play “The Laboratory” was organized for medical and nursing staff, students and publicmedical and nursing staff, students and public

Play covered numerous aspects and ethical issues of Play covered numerous aspects and ethical issues of clinical trials for eg. Informed consent, conflict of interest, clinical trials for eg. Informed consent, conflict of interest, inducement, relevant national and international guidelines inducement, relevant national and international guidelines etc. etc.

Invited public included self help groups (mostly women) Invited public included self help groups (mostly women) and other NGOs which are involved in adopting villages, and other NGOs which are involved in adopting villages, building schools, making education important for children. building schools, making education important for children.

Student groups, teachers groups and adolescent groups. Student groups, teachers groups and adolescent groups.

Lawyers from the Bar Association also attended the Lawyers from the Bar Association also attended the program. program.

Local cine/drama clubs Local cine/drama clubs

Play ReadingPlay ReadingLong term Training program on Long term Training program on

BioethicsBioethics


BioethicsBioethics


BioethicsBioethics

Distance Education Program in collaboration Distance Education Program in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Open University with Indira Gandhi National Open University

(IGNOU)(IGNOU)Memorandum of Collaboration Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) between ICMR and (MoC) between ICMR and IGNOU for the bioethics IGNOU for the bioethics education program on education program on 12.4.2007.12.4.2007.

To hold workshops in tele -To hold workshops in tele -

conference mode using conference mode using IGNOU’s multimedia facilitiesIGNOU’s multimedia facilities

To telecast programs on the To telecast programs on the

IGNOU educational TV & IGNOU educational TV & Radio stations Radio stations

To prepare a Diploma & To prepare a Diploma & Masters course in bioethics – Masters course in bioethics – 120 sessions being edited120 sessions being edited

IGNOUIGNOU Globally single largest University

Capacity Building for DE Institutionsin India & abroad: South-East Asia, Central Asia, Africa Caribbean, China, SAARC countries.

COL (Commonwealth of Learning) Award for Excellence in Distance Education

Other countries also using IGNOU’s course material -108

(Students enrolment 1.85 million, (over 15% of University population in India), about 150 certificates/degrees for about 1500 courses; Schools of Studies: 21, Regional Centres: 62; Study Centres: 2,053; Partner Instts. abroad: 51; Countries Reached: 32)

Edusat Satellite

‘‘Theatrescience – India in London’ Theatrescience – India in London’ 14th-18th July 200814th-18th July 2008

UK presentation of the work previously seen as part of UK presentation of the work previously seen as part of ‘Imagining the Future India’, India: ‘Imagining the Future India’, India: series of workshops, series of workshops, play readings and plays:play readings and plays:

Workshops at Soho Theatre: Workshops at Soho Theatre: Evolution in India & Verbatim Evolution in India & Verbatim Theatre - Women Living with HIVTheatre - Women Living with HIV

Playreadings at Soho Theatre: Playreadings at Soho Theatre: Idiot Wind Idiot Wind by Farhad by Farhad Sorabjee &Sorabjee &Bad Blood Blues Bad Blood Blues by Paul Sirettby Paul Sirett

Performances at Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadlers Wells: Performances at Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadlers Wells: Crab Crab SoupSoup by The Creative Arts, Kolkatta and by The Creative Arts, Kolkatta and The Invisible River The Invisible River by Artistes’ Repertory Theatre, Bangalore by Artistes’ Repertory Theatre, Bangalore

Playreadings and performances followed by post-show Playreadings and performances followed by post-show discussions discussions

TheatrescienceTheatresciencePublic engagement with Public engagement with

ScienceScience