The sudden proliferation in ancient DNA (aDNA) studies has prompted critical thinking on the subject and the development of recommendations that can be framed within the “Ethics, Legal and Social Implications”. The outcomes of these self-reviewing exercises have regional particularities in terms of their application and regulation.

Aiming to contribute to these debates in South America, we focused on examining two aspects of aDNA studies: the use of ethnonyms and the evidence of collaborative research. We compiled 68 articles reporting genetic data from South American archaeological sites. First, we recorded edition and research-related general characteristics. Second, the discourse was analyzed searching for ethical-related issues like the use of ethnonyms, the justification for its usage, and evidences of collaborative approaches.

Many articles included no information on the permits granted for analysis (44%) and the custody of the human remains (49%). Besides, ethnonyms were used in 41% of the studies mostly without any explicit justification. Finally, only 7% of the studies exhibited some evidence of a collaborative approach.

These results help problematize and reflect on the ways of undertaking aDNA studies in the South American context, the limitations of scientific communication, and the social repercussions of these studies.

古代DNA（aDNA）研究的突然激增促使人们对该主题进行批判性思考，并提出了可以在“道德，法律和社会影响”之内制定的建议。这些自我审查练习的结果在其应用和监管方面具有地区特色。

为了促进南美的这些辩论，我们集中于研究aDNA研究的两个方面：民族名的使用和合作研究的证据。我们汇编了68篇文章，报道了南美考古遗址的遗传数据。首先，我们记录了版本和与研究相关的一般特征。其次，对话语进行了分析，以寻找与道德相关的问题，例如民族名的使用，用法的合理性以及合作方法的证据。

许多文章没有提供有关分析许可的信息（44％）和对遗体的监护权（49％）。此外，在41％的研究中，大多在没有任何明确依据的情况下使用了人名缩写。最后，只有7％的研究显示了合作方法的一些证据。

这些结果有助于质疑和反思在南美范围内进行aDNA研究的方式，科学交流的局限性以及这些研究的社会影响。