Compliance and monitoring initiatives
The Vice-President, Research, initiated an ethics compliance and monitoring process to be developed and implemented as of January 1st, 2002 for all research projects involving human participants. This initiative resulted from the recommendations submitted by the REB Chairs in their first report to the Vice-President, Research (November 1999 to April 2001).
Summary of compliance and monitoring activities
- Random selection of five to ten percent of annual active research projects. Monitoring follow-ups could include discussions with researchers, on-site visits, and revision of recruitment and consent documents.
- Imposing a three-year limit for extensions to an ethics certificate B after three years a new proposal must be (re)submitted for an ethics approval by the respective Research Ethics Board.
- Suspending ethical approval to new ethics applications or extensions if any other research files of that investigator are requiring action - this is to ensure proper monitoring and closure of all files when appropriate. (Investigators are asked to complete a short form describing the status of their research project - many do not respond)
- Notification to the respective departmental chair when the investigator has failed to respond (after the reminder) to the form inquiring about the status of their research project.
- Any other initiatives that REB members may find relevant.