Ethics of microbiome research with Indigenous populations: the case of the Hadzabe community

With clinical applications of microbiome research now feasible, it is imperative that the science conducted, particularly among Indigenous communities, adheres to principles of inclusion and is community-based. This entails shared decision making on how biological samples are collected and who benefits from research and any derived products. Here, we share experiences from our own research endeavors with views from our own vantage points, one as an Indigenous human rights attorney and anthropological research assistant (Mangola) and one as a long time researcher with a key participant community in the microbiome research space (Crittenden). We introduce our approach that entails promising practices to carry out more ethical microbiome research with Indigenous communities.