The National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) today on 2nd July, 2024 conducted refresher training for reviewers on ethics in health research, from basic ethics principles to clinical trials and study designs, the discussions paved the way for better health research practices.
The discussions are based on health research regulations, basic ethical principles, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the review of clinical trial protocols, qualitative study design, quantitative study design, and cross-cutting issues related to the submission and review of health research protocols.
The event serves as a crucial platform to refresh the reviewers on the issues that might improve the regulations of health research through the review process.
In his opening remarks, the Director General of NIMR Prof. Said Aboud said the number and types of health research protocols submitted to NIMR for approval have increased, necessitating additional review to ensure that they meet basic ethical principles and are relevant to national and international health research laws, regulations, and guidelines.
Additionally, Prof. Aboud mentioned that they have amended the existing guidelines, standard operating procedures, and other frameworks that govern health research regulations, and they have updated rules and a client service charter which is available on NIMR website as of 2023.
“Moreover, we recently transitioned from old, lengthy, cumbersome, and tiresome review processes that required physical submission to a current operational Research Information Management System (REIMS), an online-based system that has facilitated the review and approval processes for health research protocols”, Prof. Aboud empasized.
The two-day workshop took place at the Edema Hotel and Conference Centre in Morogoro. Participants were drawn from different institutions with diverse expertise and experience in health research who are potential reviewers and National ethics approval committee members for the research conducted in our country.