Communicating ethical issues in health care and biomedical advances via new plays for the theatre and theatre workshops - Indian experience Hemalatha Somsekhar, Public Health Foundation of India “ SCIENCE AND COMMUNITY – ENGAGE TO EMPOWER” 3 - 5 December 2008

“ Centrally Co-ordinated Bioethics Education for India” funded by Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, USA Nandini K. Kumar – Program Director Vasantha Muthuswamy – Co-Program Director Indian Council of Medical Research New Delhi, India

Types of training offered (April 2005 - November 2008) 3-day Symposia on Bioethics for Medical Undergraduates & Medical/Non- medical Postgraduate students (4) 1-day Workshops on Ethical Review for Protection of Human Subjects in Research for Researchers and Ethics Committee Members (10) 3-day Regional Workshops on Bioethics for researchers, faculty members and members of Ethics Committees of medical/research institutions (4) 5-day International Workshop on Research Ethics for National and International researchers, faculty members and members of Ethics Committees of medical/research institutions (1)

Types of training offered (April 2005 - November 2008) 5-day Training program “Ethics in Social Science Research Related to Health” (1) 2-day Workshops on Ethical Issues in Clinical Research and Clinical Trials in India (2) 5-week Long term training Program on Bioethics with a Concluding session 6 months later (1) 4-week Long term training Program on Bioethics presently being conducted in Bangalore (1) 24 training programs in 44 months

Total no of trainees No of trainees trained/sensitised Total proposed (4 year period) UGs/PGs 511 600 International 14 24 Researchers/IEC members 1175 400 Long-term training 31 32 Total trained/sensitised 1731+27 1056

Symposia/Seminars

NIH- funded Bioethics Program, August –September 2007 Bangalore, India 31 trainees with faculty and ethics committee members

Films Remembering Tuskegee

Films

NIH- funded Bioethics Program Films followed by questionnaires & discussions Drama Workshops as part of bioethics training programs (participants acted out ethical issues) Video recording of plays related to research and medical practice Evaluation Relevance of Topic Effectiveness of presentation Adequacy of discussion Overall rating of session Any other comments Over 95 % of the participants rated use of films and drama very highly in conveying/stressing ethical issues related to biomedical research/practice

Films followed by questionnaires & discussions

Drama Workshops as part of bioethics training programs (participants acted out ethical issues)

Video recording of plays related to research and medical practice

Evaluation

Relevance of Topic

Effectiveness of presentation

Adequacy of discussion

Overall rating of session

Any other comments

Over 95 % of the participants rated use of films and drama very highly in conveying/stressing ethical issues related to biomedical research/practice

Questionnaire for The Constant Gardener

Imagining the Future India Theatrescience Collaborative activity between UK theatre organizations, Indian theatre companies, Indian theatre practitioners, writers, scientists, teachers and students 8-day event of work-in-progress presentations, play readings, workshops, seminars and post-event discussions with the public: 5 new plays, two school projects and numerous workshops and seminars on biomedical issues. Presentations had a scientific basis and were the result of intensive research by both the actors and playwrights. Scientists and clinicians were involved in the development of all scripts.

Collaborative activity between UK theatre organizations, Indian theatre companies, Indian theatre practitioners, writers, scientists, teachers and students

8-day event of work-in-progress presentations, play readings, workshops, seminars and post-event discussions with the public: 5 new plays, two school projects and numerous workshops and seminars on biomedical issues.

Presentations had a scientific basis and were the result of intensive research by both the actors and playwrights.

Scientists and clinicians were involved in the development of all scripts.

Imagining the Future India 'Bad Blood Blues' by Paul Sirett 'Idiot Wind' by Farhad Sorabjee 'The Laboratory' by Shivani Tibrewala 'Crab Soup' by The Creative Arts of Kolkata Writer: Arthur Cardozo, Director: Ramanjit Kaur 'Invisible River' by ART (Artist Repertory Theatre) of Bangalore Writer: Gautam Raja, Director: Ruchika Chanana School Plays: 'The Resurrection of Neeru’ by Mallya Aditi International School (MAIS) Writers: Students, Director: TT Venkatesh 'Di-Hydrogen Monoxide,' by Vidya Niketan School (VNS) Writers: Shreya Krishnan and Students, Director: Shreya Krishnan

'Bad Blood Blues' by Paul Sirett

'Idiot Wind' by Farhad Sorabjee

'The Laboratory' by Shivani Tibrewala

'Crab Soup' by The Creative Arts of Kolkata

Writer: Arthur Cardozo, Director: Ramanjit Kaur

'Invisible River' by ART (Artist Repertory Theatre) of Bangalore

Writer: Gautam Raja, Director: Ruchika Chanana

School Plays:

'The Resurrection of Neeru’ by Mallya Aditi International School (MAIS)

Writers: Students, Director: TT Venkatesh

'Di-Hydrogen Monoxide,' by Vidya Niketan School (VNS)

Writers: Shreya Krishnan and Students, Director: Shreya Krishnan

Long term training Program on Bioethics Reading of a play “The Laboratory” was organized for medical and nursing staff, students and public Play covered numerous aspects and ethical issues of clinical trials for eg. Informed consent, conflict of interest, inducement, relevant national and international guidelines etc. Invited public included self help groups (mostly women) and other NGOs which are involved in adopting villages, building schools, making education important for children. Student groups, teachers groups and adolescent groups. Lawyers from the Bar Association also attended the program. Local cine/drama clubs

Reading of a play “The Laboratory” was organized for medical and nursing staff, students and public

Play covered numerous aspects and ethical issues of clinical trials for eg. Informed consent, conflict of interest, inducement, relevant national and international guidelines etc.

Invited public included self help groups (mostly women) and other NGOs which are involved in adopting villages, building schools, making education important for children.

Student groups, teachers groups and adolescent groups.

Lawyers from the Bar Association also attended the program.

Local cine/drama clubs

Play Reading Long term Training program on Bioethics

Play Reading Long term Training program on Bioethics

Play Reading Long term Training program on Bioethics

Distance Education Program in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) between ICMR and IGNOU for the bioethics education program on 12.4.2007. To hold workshops in tele -conference mode using IGNOU’s multimedia facilities To telecast programs on the IGNOU educational TV & Radio stations To prepare a Diploma & Masters course in bioethics – 120 sessions being edited

Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) between ICMR and IGNOU for the bioethics education program on 12.4.2007.

To hold workshops in tele -conference mode using IGNOU’s multimedia facilities

To telecast programs on the IGNOU educational TV & Radio stations

To prepare a Diploma & Masters course in bioethics – 120 sessions being edited

IGNOU Globally single largest University Capacity Building for DE Institutions in India & abroad: South-East Asia, Central Asia, Africa Caribbean, China, SAARC countries. COL ( Commonwealth of Learning) Award for Excellence in Distance Education Other countries also using IGNOU’s course material -108 (Students enrolment 1.85 million, (over 15% of University population in India), about 150 certificates/degrees for about 1500 courses; Schools of Studies: 21, Regional Centres: 62; Study Centres: 2,053; Partner Instts. abroad: 51; Countries Reached: 32) Edusat Satellite

Globally single largest University

Capacity Building for DE Institutions

in India & abroad: South-East Asia, Central Asia, Africa Caribbean, China, SAARC countries.

COL ( Commonwealth of Learning) Award for Excellence in Distance Education

Other countries also using IGNOU’s course material -108

(Students enrolment 1.85 million, (over 15% of University population in India), about 150 certificates/degrees for about 1500 courses; Schools of Studies: 21, Regional Centres: 62; Study Centres: 2,053; Partner Instts. abroad: 51; Countries Reached: 32)

‘ Theatrescience – India in London’ 14th-18th July 2008 UK presentation of the work previously seen as part of ‘Imagining the Future India’, India: series of workshops, play readings and plays: Workshops at Soho Theatre: Evolution in India & Verbatim Theatre - Women Living with HIV Playreadings at Soho Theatre: Idiot Wind by Farhad Sorabjee & Bad Blood Blues by Paul Sirett Performances at Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadlers Wells: Crab Soup by The Creative Arts, Kolkatta and The Invisible River by Artistes’ Repertory Theatre, Bangalore Playreadings and performances followed by post-show discussions

UK presentation of the work previously seen as part of ‘Imagining the Future India’, India: series of workshops, play readings and plays:

Workshops at Soho Theatre: Evolution in India & Verbatim Theatre - Women Living with HIV

Playreadings at Soho Theatre: Idiot Wind by Farhad Sorabjee &

Bad Blood Blues by Paul Sirett

Performances at Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadlers Wells: Crab Soup by The Creative Arts, Kolkatta and The Invisible River by Artistes’ Repertory Theatre, Bangalore

Playreadings and performances followed by post-show discussions

‘ Theatrescience – India in London’ 14th-18th July 2008 Audience Questionnaires Number, gender, profession, previous experience, knowledge and beliefs, lack of understanding about issues in India, any change in attitude Participant Questionnaires Reasons for participating, to what extent the project had fulfilled their expectations, assess to what extent successful, which aspects enjoyable or challenging, useful outcomes of project, lessons learned, thoughts of potential future work Increased understanding and bringing together of science and theatre Continued intercultural and interdisciplinary collaboration and exchanges

Audience Questionnaires

Number, gender, profession, previous experience, knowledge and beliefs, lack of understanding about issues in India, any change in attitude

Participant Questionnaires

Reasons for participating, to what extent the project had fulfilled their expectations, assess to what extent successful, which aspects enjoyable or challenging, useful outcomes of project, lessons learned, thoughts of potential future work

Increased understanding and bringing together of science and theatre

Continued intercultural and interdisciplinary collaboration and exchanges

Theatrescience Public engagement with Science