Terms of Reference
Principle: All research involving human subjects requires ethical approval by a publicly constituted board. Every Regional Health Authority needs to ensure that every such research proposal conducted within its jurisdiction, has received ethical approval. Recognizing that other ethical review processes exist in Alberta, this Committee will concern itself with:
- research which involves humans and covers health issues
- research being conducted by those other than physicians in Alberta
- research conducted by researchers based outside of regions 1, 3, and 6 and
- research conducted by researchers not covered by conjoint ethics boards in regions 1, 3, and 6.
Collaboration will be sought among ethics review boards when involving more than regions 1, 3, and 6.
Purpose:
- To review research involving human health issues to ensure that it is designed to be beneficial and will minimize risk to the residents of the Province of Alberta.
- To maintain standards and guidelines for the conduct of health research and to contribute to the review of health research proposals.
- To ensure that the research meets standards of acceptability in terms of ethical considerations and relevance [either theoretical or practical] to community health.
- To make decisions, based on ethical considerations, concerning proposals that come before the committee.
- To provide consultative advise regarding ethical issues on projects in process [at the discretion of the Committee].
Resources:
Initially, financial and administrative support to the Committee will be provided by the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.
Appointments:
Initially, the members of the Committee will be appointed by the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.
Membership:
The minimum acceptable membership of the Community Health Ethics Review Committee is five members, including both men and women, of whom at least one member is:
- knowledgeable in the discipline of ethics
- a lawyer
- clergy
- recruited from across Alberta
- knowledgeable in human research methodologies
- knowledgeable regarding medical terms and procedures.
Advisors:
The Committee may add additional non-voting members and retain consultants and advisors or appoint subcommittees as is necessary to assist it in conducting ethics reviews.
Meetings:
The Committee will meet as frequently as necessary to prevent delays in the review process but not less than two times annually. The dates of the Committee meetings shall be appropriately announced.
Chair:
The chair is to be selected by the Committee.
Conflict of Interest
If, at any meeting of the Committee, where a motion or a matter is under discussion, and a voting participant at that meeting has a material interest in the subject matter of the discussion, that person:
- shall immediately declare to that meeting that he/she has an interest in the motion; and
- shall leave the room or absent him/her self so as not to participate in the discussion of the motion or vote on the motion unless a Resolution is passed at that meeting agreeing to allow that person to stay and participate.