ABSTRACT
Research in the Latin American region can be characterized in many ways. Some countries, such as Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, have relatively large, well-funded programs, in comparison to the smaller, less-well funded programs in most other countries. The imbalances here have been well known at least since the early 1990s (Organización Panamericana de la Salud, 1992) and are likely to continue in the near future. There are also language differences, with most researchers speaking and writing in Spanish, though Latin America also includes the English-and French-speaking Caribbean islands and Portuguese-speakers in Brazil. Latin America in general follows the same international codes, regulations and guidelines as other countries and regions of the world, such as the World Medical Association’s Declaration of Helsinki (World Medical Association, 2008). Most Latin American journals also subscribe to the ICMJE uniform requirements (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, 2008), even though there is no official Spanish translation on the ICMJE web page (unofficial translations can be found on the Internet, but most have not been updated). Latin American researchers are also beginning to work more with global pharmaceutical industries. The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (2008) have shown interest in participating in an organized manner in research in developing countries particularly. Likewise, there are also research ties developing through the World Health Organization (WHO), which is also active in promoting discussions of research ethics through publications and international conferences. At this general level, working with colleagues in Latin America is similar to working with colleagues elsewhere in the world. This overview of issues that arise in collaboration with Latin American researchers is written from the perspective of three researchers located in Central America (Honduras), Venezuela and Peru, but takes into consideration developments and problems that can arise more generally. It begins with an overview of trends in collaborative publications, then turns to challenges in the three regions.
