On July 4-5, 2024, the University Research Ethics Committee (UREC) headed by Dr. Anesito Cutillas in partnership with the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB) held a hybrid Basic Research Ethics Training to provide knowledge and capabilities to faculty researchers on the fundamentals of research ethics.
According to Dr. Cutillas, the two-day training was conceived to strengthen the conduct of research involving human participants, anchored on the goals and mandate of the University to capitalize on research (RA 9744). He also underscored the need to recalibrate research ethics committees across the campuses through the training.
The first day was comprised of the orientation and essential topics delivered by PHREB, namely: Ethics and Research, Favorable Benefits and Ratio, Selecting Research Participants Fairly by Dr. Angelica D. Francisco; Defining Research Ethics Principles, Preparing an Adequate and Appropriate Informed Consent Process and Form by Dr. Edna A. Medez.
The following day, the other aspects of ethical research ranging from protecting the vulnerable in research, current Issues in research, international and national guidelines, responsibilities of research ethics committees, and navigating the ethics review process were covered. Dr. A. Francisco and Dr. E. Medez took turns in facilitating. Interactive workshops were also conducted between topics, adding rigor to the training.
When asked about some major takeaways, Dr. Jake Napoles from the Cebu City Medical Center-College of Nursing and a new local research ethics committee member of CTU learned that special considerations and protections are required when researching vulnerable populations, such as children, pregnant women, elderly individuals, and those with cognitive impairments. โResearchers must deeply understand and always take these considerations into account to avoid not only delays in the approval of the study but also the potential for outright denial,โ said Dr. Napoles
University Research Ethics Office (UREO) Director Dr. Myril Ann Tiu quipped that this ethics training is the first in a series, with upcoming sessions planned for Biosafety/Biosecurity in collaboration with DOST-CVCHRD and animal care (IACUC) in a bid to enhance the support systems for implementing ethics in research. She is optimistic that the University will be able to renew the Level I accreditation by PHREB at the soonest possible time. Each campus was represented by its ethics chair or officer. Members from the community also participated, including the Cebu City Medical Center-College of Nursing (CCMC).
