Health research ethics is on the agenda today at an information briefing to be hosted by the Health Information and Quality Authority and the Department of Health.

Over 150 people involved in the health and social care research sector are attending the research ethics briefing which will outline national and EU developments in the area of ethical approval for health research. The forthcoming changes are to be implemented in Ireland under the supervision of HIQA.

Dr Mairin Ryan, Director of Health Technology Assessment at HIQA said: “Research is essential to the successful promotion and protection of health and wellbeing. The Health Information Bill, and changes to the existing clinical trials legislation, will provide a national approach to research ethics and will result in a more streamlined application process for researchers and funders, promoting patient safety and supporting Ireland as a good place to do research.”

“HIQA will play an important role in supporting research ethics committees and researchers to meet the requirements of the legislation and to improve the research ethics application process generally,” Dr Ryan said.

It is expected that HIQA will become the Supervisory Body for research ethics committees recognised to review clinical trial applications in 2015. HIQA will also be given a similar function to govern the approval of other health and social care research by ethics committees.

HIQA will monitor the compliance of research ethics committees against legislation and HIQA standards.

Proposals under the HI Bill will allow for a “single opinion” for research that is reviewed by a HIQA-approved ethics committee. In practice, this will mean that patients attending different hospitals can partake in the same research study as long as it has gained approval from one approved ethical committee. This will eliminate the need for separate ethical approval from each participating centre resulting in greater efficiencies.

Attendees at today’s briefing session, which includes researchers, ethics committee representatives, patient advocates, funding bodies and industry, will be given the opportunity to put questions to the panel of expert speakers. The Department of Health will present on the research ethics approval framework envisaged under the Health Information Bill and the clinical trials legislation. HIQA will outline what this will mean for researchers and research ethics committees in practice.

Further Information: 

Sinead Whooley, Communications Manager, Health Information and Quality Authority, 01 814 7488 / 087 922 1941 swhooley@hiqa.ie