David Peloquin Co-Authors NeuroImage Article Examining Ethical Issues Raised by Portable MRI Research

In The News
June 23, 2021
Attorneys:

Health care partner David Peloquin (Boston) co-authored a NeuroImage article examining emerging ethical issues raised by highly portable magnetic resonance imaging research in remote and resource-limited international settings. The article addresses how smaller, more affordable, and more portable MRI brain scanners offer opportunities to address unmet research needs and long-standing health inequities in remote and resource-limited international settings. David wrote about the portion of the article addressing how human subjects research and data privacy regulations would affect this type of activity. 

Despite the potential importance of research using highly portable MRI in remote and resource-limited settings, the authors argue that there is little analysis of the attendant ethical, legal, and social issues that may arise with their usage. 

To begin addressing this gap, the article presents findings from the first phase of an envisioned multi-staged and iterative approach for creating ethical and legal guidance in a complex global landscape, and offers guiding principles for field-based MRI research in these contexts. The authors conclude by presenting a recommended path for the next phase of work that could further adapt these use cases, address ethical and legal issues, and co-develop guidance in partnership with local communities.