Research Ethics & Compliance Office

Announcements

Declaration of Helsinki 2024 Amendment

The World Medical Association (WMA) recently amended the Declaration of Helsinki at the October 2024 General Assembly. This document is a statement of ethical principles for medical research involving humans that was originally adopted in 1964 in response to the conduct of unethical research during World War II. October 2024

World Health Organization (WHO) Guidance for best practices for clinical trials, 25 September 2024

This guidance aims to improve clinical research efficiency, reduce research waste and support clinical trials to pivot in times of emergency on a local and global scale. October 2024

Archived Announcements

Artificial Intelligence Systems: Island Health Research Ethics Guide

The Research Ethics & Compliance Office has released the first version of an AI guidance document that strives to provide Island Health researchers with advice and resources on how to prepare for a smooth research ethics review of projects using artificial intelligence by either of the two Island Health research ethics boards. As a living document, this guidance is meant as a starting point only. April 2024.

REB Review Deadlines

Full board review is generally required for research that involves surgery, clinical interventions, or the analysis of clinical data and research that is predominantly behavioural or social sciences related and above minimal risk.

Find the monthly deadline for full board review. Please be mindful of these deadlines if you are seeking research ethics approval. Applications submitted after 12 p.m. on the deadline date will be reviewed at the following full board meeting, 5 to 6 weeks later. December 2023

New Guide on Collecting Data on Race and Ethnicity

In June 2023, BC Stats, through the Ministry of Citizens' Services, released a Guide on Using Categorical Race and Ethnicity Variables to support anti-racism research in British Columbia. This tool will help users of administrative and survey data to appropriately and consistently incorporate race and ethnicity variables into their projects. August 2023

Case Reports and Research Ethics Review at Island Health

Individual patient case reports may not meet the definition of research, depending upon the intent of the report. Research Ethics Board (REB) staff should be contacted for a consultation and discussion if you are planning to conduct a case report, and prior to beginning. Please visit our page on Exemptions from Research Ethics Review for guidance and more information. March 2023

Health Canada Notice
Period reduced for keeping clinical trial records for drugs and natural health products.

The notice previously stated that the change in record retention applied only to trials authorized in the last 15 years. It now states that it is for any trials previously approved that still had on-going record retention requirements. April 2022

Updated Memo

April 5, 2022 – Retention Period Reduced for Keeping Clinical Trial Records for Drugs and Natural Health Products

Approval to Conduct Research

In order to conduct research at Island Health, Principal Investigators must obtain:

• A Research Ethics Board Certificate of Approval issued by Island Health or including Island Health in the Harmonized Ethical Approval and
• Island Health Operational Review & Approvals, as applicable
   

Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2)

The Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS or the Policy) is a joint policy of Canada's three federal research agencies – the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), or "the Agencies."

This Policy expresses the Agencies' continuing commitment to the people of Canada to promote the ethical conduct of research involving humans. It has been informed, in part, by leading international ethics norms, all of which may help, in some measure, to guide Canadian researchers, in Canada and abroad, in the conduct of research involving humans.

This edition introduces the second set of substantive changes to the Policy since the second edition of the TCPS was launched in 2010. It reflects the commitment of the Agencies to keep the TCPS current and responsive to the ethical issues that arise in the course of research involving humans. Most importantly, it reflects the feedback, questions and requests for guidance expressed by the research community, and the responses generated by the Panel on Research Ethics and the Secretariat on Responsible Conduct of Research. With these revisions to the Policy, as well their interpretation service and outreach functions, the Panel and Secretariat seek to facilitate the integration of ethics into the design and conduct of research involving humans.

TCPS 2: CORE-2022

The CORE-2022 tutorial is required for all researchers and study team members conducting research involving humans. For more information regarding Island Health's research training requirements, please visit 'training' on the Research Compliance webpage. For more educational resources for researchers, please view Education & Training. 

Single Jurisdiction - Submitting through Island Health’s Research Services Portal only

If submitting a research ethics application through Island Health’s Research Services Portal, attestation by the Principal Investigator (PI) to the completion of the CORE tutorial for all research team members, including the PI, can be found within the research ethics application.

Multi-Jurisdiction – Submitting through UBC’s RISe 

If submitting a multi-jurisdictional (harmonized) research ethics application through the Provincial Research Ethics Platform (PREP) on UBC’s RISe, further information on TCPS 2 (2018) training requirements can be found on UBC’s Office of Research Ethics ‘Online Tutorials + Training’ page.

Registration for CORE: 2022 Tutorial

When registering, please affiliate with ‘Vancouver Island Health Authority’, if not affiliated with another institution already.

Training Documentation

CORE: 2022 completion certificates for all research team members will be held within the Investigator’s training documentation. Review of certificates may be requested by the Research Ethics Boards or Research Compliance.

Resources

TCPS2 2018 Policy Statement
CORE 2022 tutorial
Memo: March 11, 2022 – RE: TCPS: CORE-2022 Training 
Memo: December 17, 2021 - RE: New TCPS 2 Course On Research Ethics (CORE) Tutorial Launching January 2022
View the Guidance for Research Training Requirements on the Research Compliance webpage under 'Training'