Edison Bicudo
Print version
9.2009-8.2013
CAPES-Brazil PhD studentship
Between patients and data: ethics committees and world clinical trials in South Africa and Brazil
Prof Clare Williams (main supervisor, CBAS), Prof Steven Wainwright (co-supervisor, CBAS).
CAPES-Brazil PhD studentship
Between patients and data: ethics committees and world clinical trials in South Africa and Brazil
Prof Clare Williams (main supervisor, CBAS), Prof Steven Wainwright (co-supervisor, CBAS).
PhD Research
In my current PhD research I am working at the intersection of two theoretical frameworks: the theory of communicative action proposed by German social scientist Jürgen Habermas; and the existential geography built up by Brazilian geographer Milton Santos.
My main purpose is to interpret the current relationships between global actors (multinational companies, global regulatory bodies) and local actors (national agencies, ordinary persons). Theoretically, these relationships can be framed as the encounter between two diverse rationalities, that is, two types of social action expressing particular languages and political projects.
In order to develop this analysis, I am studying world clinical trials, which are scientific studies on human beings aiming at testing the efficacy and safety of new therapeutic compounds. More specifically, I am focusing on the works of ethics committees, which are institutional bodies responsible for analysing clinical research proposals submitted by multinational pharmaceutical companies. Lying between companies’ interests and trial participants’ concerns, these committees come to play a role of (global) social mediators.
The situation of South Africa and Brazil, my home country, are being studied. I am a Member of the research staff of the Laboratory for Political Geography and Socio-environmental Planning (Laboplan), University of São Paulo, Brazil.
My main purpose is to interpret the current relationships between global actors (multinational companies, global regulatory bodies) and local actors (national agencies, ordinary persons). Theoretically, these relationships can be framed as the encounter between two diverse rationalities, that is, two types of social action expressing particular languages and political projects.
In order to develop this analysis, I am studying world clinical trials, which are scientific studies on human beings aiming at testing the efficacy and safety of new therapeutic compounds. More specifically, I am focusing on the works of ethics committees, which are institutional bodies responsible for analysing clinical research proposals submitted by multinational pharmaceutical companies. Lying between companies’ interests and trial participants’ concerns, these committees come to play a role of (global) social mediators.
The situation of South Africa and Brazil, my home country, are being studied. I am a Member of the research staff of the Laboratory for Political Geography and Socio-environmental Planning (Laboplan), University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Acaddemic Biography
First Degree: Social Scences (University of São Paulo, Brazil).
Master Degree: Human geography (University Paris 1 – Panthéon Sorbonne, France).
Supervision: Isabelle Géneau de Lamarlière (University Paris 1)
Collaboration: Maurice Cassier (CNRS)
Master report: “Normes, territories, aménagement: Les recherches biotechnologiques dans l’Union Européenne” (Norms, territories, spatial planning: biotechnological researches in the European Union)
Description: This study aimed at interpreting the effects of regulatory shifts on the configuration of cities and national territories. By analysing some regulatory adopted by four EU countries (France, UK, Germany, and Portugal), I identified some evidences on the relevance of normative tools for defining the spatial features of places and countries. In spite of the globalisation of some standards, rules and laws, national specificities cannot be completely undermined.
Master Degree: Human Geography (University of São Paulo, Brazil)
Supervision: María Laura Silveira
Master dissertation: “O circuito superior marginal: Produção de medicamentos e o território brasileiro”: The marginal upper-circuit: Production of medicines and the Brazilian territory (Available in Portuguese on: http://www.teses.usp.br/)
Description: This study explores the concept of marginal upper-circuit, proposed by the geographer Milton Santos. It refers to an economic branch that mixes up the characteristics of the modern, global economy, and the features of the traditional, local economy. By analysing the pharmaceutical activity in the Brazilian territory, it was possible to interpret this intermediate circuit as an spatial mediator between an instrumental rationality and a communicational rationality.
Master Degree: Human geography (University Paris 1 – Panthéon Sorbonne, France).
Supervision: Isabelle Géneau de Lamarlière (University Paris 1)
Collaboration: Maurice Cassier (CNRS)
Master report: “Normes, territories, aménagement: Les recherches biotechnologiques dans l’Union Européenne” (Norms, territories, spatial planning: biotechnological researches in the European Union)
Description: This study aimed at interpreting the effects of regulatory shifts on the configuration of cities and national territories. By analysing some regulatory adopted by four EU countries (France, UK, Germany, and Portugal), I identified some evidences on the relevance of normative tools for defining the spatial features of places and countries. In spite of the globalisation of some standards, rules and laws, national specificities cannot be completely undermined.
Master Degree: Human Geography (University of São Paulo, Brazil)
Supervision: María Laura Silveira
Master dissertation: “O circuito superior marginal: Produção de medicamentos e o território brasileiro”: The marginal upper-circuit: Production of medicines and the Brazilian territory (Available in Portuguese on: http://www.teses.usp.br/)
Description: This study explores the concept of marginal upper-circuit, proposed by the geographer Milton Santos. It refers to an economic branch that mixes up the characteristics of the modern, global economy, and the features of the traditional, local economy. By analysing the pharmaceutical activity in the Brazilian territory, it was possible to interpret this intermediate circuit as an spatial mediator between an instrumental rationality and a communicational rationality.
Previous Research
Centre for Studies on International Relations (Nupri), University of São Paulo. From March to July 2008.
Centre for Studies on Contemporary Culture (Cedec), São Paulo, Brazil. From August 2002 to July 2003
Department of Political Science of the University of São Paulo. CNPq scholarship. From August 2001 to June 2002
Researcher at the Department of Geography of the University of São Paulo. CNPq scholarship. From August 1998 to June 2001
Centre for Studies on Contemporary Culture (Cedec), São Paulo, Brazil. From August 2002 to July 2003
Department of Political Science of the University of São Paulo. CNPq scholarship. From August 2001 to June 2002
Researcher at the Department of Geography of the University of São Paulo. CNPq scholarship. From August 1998 to June 2001
Publications
I have published some articles and book chapters on the relationships between pharmaceutical activities and the organization of space and society. These texts are available in Portuguese.
Contact Details
Edison Bicudo
Centre for Biomedicine & Society - CBAS
School of Social Science & Public Policy
King's College London
Strand Building (6th floor)
Strand
London, WC2R 2LS
Email: edison.bicudo_junior@kcl.ac.uk
Centre for Biomedicine & Society - CBAS
School of Social Science & Public Policy
King's College London
Strand Building (6th floor)
Strand
London, WC2R 2LS
Email: edison.bicudo_junior@kcl.ac.uk