At the World Conference on Research Integrity, held in Cape Town, South Africa, attendees raised concerned over “helicopter research” and launched the “Cape Town Statement” on equitable research partnerships.
What is Helicopter research?
- According to the journal Nature, Helicopter research occurs when researchers from rich countries conduct studies in lower-income countries or with groups who are historically marginalized, with little or no involvement from those communities or local researchers in the conceptualization, design, conduct or publication of the research.
Concerned raised
- When researchers from advanced countries engage in “helicopter research”—thoughtless field research in poorer countries that extracts data without respectful collaboration—they violate research integrity and pose a moral problem, said participating scientists.
- Researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) often feel they are not adequately recognized when they partner with researchers from rich countries.
- Local experts are too often not listed as authors, cannot access data they gathered, and don’t have the power to steer research to local priorities.
- They termed it “scientific colonialism” as such mindset uses the same tactics as colonialism has historically.
- It extracts data instead of raw materials—and undermines and underfunds local infrastructure and skills. This leaves researchers in LMICs without the publications, patents, and skills of their wealthier counterparts.
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