Ethics and Security as the 'Parents' of Research Participants: A New Paradigm for Ethical and Secure Research Governance

Ethical oversight and data security are often treated as separate entities in research governance, yet their integration is fundamental to protecting research participants. This paper introduces a novel philosophy asserting that Ethics and Security are the 'Parents' of Research Participants, a perspective developed by Dr. Fredrick Ochieng’ Omogah, an expert in IT and Cybersecurity for Electronic Healthcare Systems. The philosophy posits that ethics ensures responsible research conduct, while security safeguards participant data, and both must function together to ensure participant protection, data integrity, and high-quality research. Drawing insights from healthcare research governance in Kenya, this paper highlights the consequences of fragmented ethical and security frameworks and proposes an integrated model to bridge these gaps. The study underscores the need for policy reforms aligning Ethical Review Boards (ERBs) and Data Protection Authorities (DPA) to enhance research integrity and cybersecurity resilience.