Please note that the ethics web pages are undergoing major revision. If you require information not already posted here, please contact Qaiser Fahim, Ethics Review Coordinator at 604-806-8567 for assistance.
The information provided in this web site is intended to provide researchers and research coordinators with guidance about the ethics review process.
Prior to commencing research involving human subjects at Providence Health Care, researchers are required to be in possession of two separate certificates of approval before research may begin at Providence Health Care.
These are:
- Certificate of Ethical Approval - signed by the UBC PHC REB Chair or Associate Chair
- Providence Health Care Institutional Certificate of Final Approval - signed by the PHC VP of Research and Academic Affairs
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The UBC PHC REB accepts applications for both clinical and behavioral research. |
Who Can Submit to the UBC PHC REB? |
Researchers who are UBC faculty members or who are staff members of Providence Health Care.
Researchers from other institutions, students, and trainees must appoint an individual who holds either a Providence Health Care appointment or a UBC faculty appointment as the principal investigator (PI) for the research, unless the researcher, student or trainee holds a PHC appointment or UBC faculty appointment. |
Application for Ethical Review
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All researchers submitting projects involving human subjects must use the Researcher Information Services system(RISe). This is a web based system used by all of the UBC Research Ethics Boards to process applications for ethical review of research involving human subjects.
Researcher Information Services System (RISe)
Tutorials for using the RISe system are located on the RISe welcome page, under a tab named Tutorials.
Guidance Notes for completing applications are included on the RISe welcome page under a tab called Guidance Notes
Additionally, sections of the application form have a direct link to the relevant section(s) of the Guidance Notes.
The UBC PHC REB is available to assist researchers with their applications if required.
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Accessing RISe |
To access the Researcher Information Services system (RISe), all researchers and study personnel must have a Campus Wide Login and Password and a 'Researcher Number'.
Instructions for Accessing RISe
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| Expedited or Full Board Review? |
Expedited (Minimal Risk) Review means review by the Chair or Associate Chair only and does not have to meet a deadline for full board review. Please note that projects involving genetic research must be submitted for full board approval. Criteria for minmal risk review.
The REB Chair or Associate Chair reserves the right to refer the project to full board review if appropriate. In this case, the Principal Investigator will receive an automated notice vis RISe indicating that the project has been re-assigned to full board. |
| Department Approval |
Department Approval prior to submission to REB
When you "submit" a new application in RISe it is not sent directly to the REB, it is first electronically routed to the Department you select in RISe for Dept. Head review/approval. It is not until the Department Head approves the study in RISe that it will appear in the REB in-box for screening and review. Submissions for full board review should be sent to the Department Head for approval about 3 days before the REB submission deadline date.
Tracking Departmental Approval Status
The REB does not track the Department Review. It is the Principal Investigator's responsibility to follow-up with their Department Head to ensure the study is reviewed and approved in time for the REB deadline.
You can track your submission in RISe by looking at the "Current State" of the application (located at the top left side of the study homepage. When you see the state change from "Department Review" to "REBA Screening" this indicates the REB has received the study.
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Submission Deadlines Expedited (Minimal Risk) Review
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There are no submission deadlines for projects meeting ‘minimal risk’ criteria. Please note that when your project is assigned for REB review, you will receive a notice, generated by RISe, giving an REB review date. This does not mean that your project will actually be reviewed on that date. Review of minimal risk projects may be reviewed prior to or after the stated date. The REB aims to conduct the review within two weeks of submission. |
Submission Deadlines
Full Board Review |
Please be sure to allow enough time for your Department Head to review/approve the submission in order to meet the REB deadlines. The REB recommends that you submit your application for department approval 3 days before the deadline.
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Ethical Review - Providence Health Care Policy
Any research involving human subjects must be submitted for ethical review and be approved before research may commence.
Researchers from other institutions, students and trainees must appoint an individual who holds either a Providence Health Care appointment or a UBC faculty appointment as the principal investigator (PI) for the research, unless the researcher, student or trainee holds a PHC appointment or UBC faculty appointment. Select this link for the Providence Health Care Policy for Research Involving Human Subjects.
Please refer to the section below for additional information regarding changes to the ethical review process of human research projects conducted by the same principal investigatorat more than one institution under the UBC REBs’ jurisdiction.
UBC Research Ethics Boards - One REB of Record
Effective March 21, 2007, all UBC Research Ethics Boards (UBC PHC REB, UBC CREB, UBC BREB and UBC BCCA REB) agreed that each research application reviewed by a UBC REB should have a single REB of Record. This is a change in procedure from the previous policy of Reciprocal Review between the UBC Research Ethics Boards.
The purpose of implementing one REB of Record is to avoid the requirement for multiple formal ethical reviews of the same research study. The need to identify one of several possible REBs to be the REB of Record arises when the same Principal Investigator is conducting research at more than one institution under the UBC REBs’ jurisdiction.
Under this new policy, the UBC REB that initially reviews a research study normally becomes the REB of Record for the study, but occasionally a project is referred to another of the UBC REBs. Once established as the REB of Record, that REB should deal with all subsequent ethical supervision of that study. This means that the investigator is only required to submit all post approval activity submissions (amendments, annual renewals, etc.) to one REB, regardless of whether or not the research is being conducted at another institution under UBC REBs’ jurisdiction.
The Providence Health Care Research Ethics Board should normally be the REB of Record for all research studies carried out at a Providence Healthcare site, and for research studies carried out at other sites (i.e. VGH, Women’s and Childrens), by Principal Investigators who hold Providence Healthcare staff appointments.
To ensure that institutional specific ethics requirements are met, the Chair of any of the REBs may view the application and study documents approved by the REB of Record. If the UBC PHC REB Chair has questions or concerns, these will be directed to the REB Chair of the REB of Record for resolution. The UBC PHC REB Chair may refer a question or concern to the REB of Record at any time (i.e. before or after the study has been approved by the REB of Record).
Under the process of one REB of Record, researchers are still required to obtain approval from the appropriate institution prior to commencing research.
Institutional Review - Providence Health Care Policy
All human subject research must have the written approval of the Providence Health Care Vice President Research prior to the research commencing. The decision of the PHC Vice President Research is contingent upon the receipt of the following documentation.
- A Certificate of Ethical Approval issued by one of the UBC Research Ethics Boards (UBC PHC REB, UBC CREB, UBC BREB, or UBC BCCA REB) or other authorized Research Ethics Board;
- Approval issued by all affected service departments in the institution;
- A fully executed sponsored research agreement, approval letter from a public granting agency, notice from the Foundation of an award or donation for the research or other documentation indicating where funding is coming from for all funded projects.
- Receipt of the REB ethics review fee, where applicable.
Please note that Investigators holding a Certificate of Ethical Approval issued by a Research Ethics Board other than UBC PHC REB must apply for PHC institutional approval in circumstances where the research is being conducted at another institution or location but where the investigator, for research purposes, requires access to PHC services, clinical units, patients, staff and to data or tissue held by PHC. For information regarding this requirement, please contact Vivienne Bearder, Manager Ethical Reviews
Select this link for an example of the PHC Institutional Certificate of Final Approval.
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