Bioethical implications of the use of digital technologies for mental health research during the social distancing period of the COVID-19 pandemic

The need to apply ethical principles to protocols for mental health research using digital technologies was a central concern of ethics committees during the COVID-19 pandemic, which sought to ensure a fair selection of participants, appropriate adaptation of the informed consent process, protection of participants' privacy, secure management of research data, and assessment of risks and benefits. This effort required the prevention of factors that could contribute to inequality, including a digital divide, that could lead to digital and social discrimination or exclusion in the choice of participants. This study addresses these bioethical implications in the use of digital technologies to conduct mental health research, as noted by the Research Ethics Committee of the Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz National Institute of Psychiatry during the social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico. The increased use of digital tools abruptly transformed the manner in which studies were conducted, especially for those not familiar with this modality. The transition to these new digital technologies must include consideration of the bioethical implications of these strategies, and ethics committees must work with researchers to identify the best ways to safeguard the dignity, autonomy, and rights of participants.