To the Editor:
[...] Research improves people's health and well-being. While it is not possible to be sure a study will produce positive results (e.g., discovering a cure or other intervention that is effective in preventing or treating a disease), it is clear that not conducting research will not allow to find ways to prevent or treat disease, or otherwise have a positive effect on people's health or well- being. Research priority-setting exercises are necessary to decide how to allocate resources for health research. The research that is done or that fails to be conducted is therefore morally relevant: it is a matter of justice and equity. Decisions about research priority-setting benefit individuals and groups whose health conditions and needs are among the research that is prioritized; such decisions also imply that other groups will not enjoy similar benefits [...]