Article type
Abstract
Background:
In contemporary policy development, the integration of ethical considerations triggered by technological innovation into horizon scanning and foresight methods is imperative for ensuring responsible and sustainable decision-making. This is true for any type of innovation, but especially valid for innovation in the biomedical field which profoundly touch on issues such as those of identity, life and death. However, the extent to which such ethical considerations are embedded within existing horizon scanning and foresight methods used within the policy context remains underexplored.
Objectives:
To gain an understanding of where ethical considerations are embedded in existing horizon scanning and foresight methods used within policy development and decision-making. Aims include:
•Identifying and describing the various horizon-scanning and foresight methods employed in the context of policy making that contemplate ethical considerations to support decision-making.
•Proposing recommendations for enhancing existing methods or developing new approaches for ethically informed foresight and horizon scanning processes in policy.
Methods:
A rapid scoping review will be conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and the Cochrane recommendations for undertaking rapid systematic literature reviews. Any study or report that covers ethical considerations will be included. Studies will be systematically identified through searching published and unpublished studies and reports, and study selection will be conducted using predefined inclusion criteria. We will extract relevant data pertaining to study characteristics, research design, methods used in horizon scanning or foresight, ethical issues addressed, stakeholder involvement, outcome measures, and reported limitations.
Results:
The review will provide insights into the current landscape of ethical considerations that horizon-scanning and foresight methods address in the context of policy development and decision-making, highlighting the extent of ethical integration, stakeholder involvement, and challenges encountered. Findings will be synthesised to identify gaps and limitations, informing recommendations for enhancing ethically informed foresight or horizon-scanning processes.
Conclusions:
The results from this review will either underpin the enhancement of existing tools or frameworks or models identified or inform the development of a novel approach.
In contemporary policy development, the integration of ethical considerations triggered by technological innovation into horizon scanning and foresight methods is imperative for ensuring responsible and sustainable decision-making. This is true for any type of innovation, but especially valid for innovation in the biomedical field which profoundly touch on issues such as those of identity, life and death. However, the extent to which such ethical considerations are embedded within existing horizon scanning and foresight methods used within the policy context remains underexplored.
Objectives:
To gain an understanding of where ethical considerations are embedded in existing horizon scanning and foresight methods used within policy development and decision-making. Aims include:
•Identifying and describing the various horizon-scanning and foresight methods employed in the context of policy making that contemplate ethical considerations to support decision-making.
•Proposing recommendations for enhancing existing methods or developing new approaches for ethically informed foresight and horizon scanning processes in policy.
Methods:
A rapid scoping review will be conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and the Cochrane recommendations for undertaking rapid systematic literature reviews. Any study or report that covers ethical considerations will be included. Studies will be systematically identified through searching published and unpublished studies and reports, and study selection will be conducted using predefined inclusion criteria. We will extract relevant data pertaining to study characteristics, research design, methods used in horizon scanning or foresight, ethical issues addressed, stakeholder involvement, outcome measures, and reported limitations.
Results:
The review will provide insights into the current landscape of ethical considerations that horizon-scanning and foresight methods address in the context of policy development and decision-making, highlighting the extent of ethical integration, stakeholder involvement, and challenges encountered. Findings will be synthesised to identify gaps and limitations, informing recommendations for enhancing ethically informed foresight or horizon-scanning processes.
Conclusions:
The results from this review will either underpin the enhancement of existing tools or frameworks or models identified or inform the development of a novel approach.