Research ethics during a pandemic (COVID-19)

The current pandemic with the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in a major global health crisis.1 This has put tremendous strain on healthcare systems around the world and naturally raises issues concerning the allocation of scarce resources. It presents a clear and urgent need for research into management of the disease in individuals and of the epidemic in populations. Addressing this need around the world raises practical and ethical issues for the scientific research community internationally.
There have been several recommendations addressing ethical issues which arise during global health emergencies, incl