Research Ethics

The UBC-PHC Research Ethics Board (REB) is a UBC-affiliated board that oversees all research involving human subjects conducted under the auspices of Providence Health Care to ensure that such research meets the highest scientific and ethical standards.

A woman in a lab coat wearing a mask stands in front of a freezer holding a vial

In alignment with the Tri-Council Policy Statement on Ethical Research Involving Humans (TCPS2 – 2022), the UBC-PHC REB upholds the following research principles:

Respect for human dignity
Respect for free and informed consent
Respect for vulnerable persons
Respect for privacy and confidentiality
Respect for justice and inclusiveness
Balancing harms and benefits

Main Policies

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

The Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2) provides ethics guidance that applies to all research involving human participants – including their data and/or biological materials – conducted under the auspices of an institution eligible for funding by the federal Agencies (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC).

All non-faculty personnel associated with a research project and who have contact with research subjects are required to complete the tutorial before an application is submitted to the REB. This includes (but is not limited to) undergraduate and graduate students, medical residents, research assistants, research coordinators, etc. Principal Investigators must also be familiar with the TCPS and are advised to also complete the tutorial, especially if supervising or teaching classes for graduate students or medical residents. Any Research Ethics Board reserves the right to request that other individuals (e.g., medical students) also complete this tutorial before approving an ethics application.

The Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2)
CIHR Policy Guide - Requirements for Registration and Disclosure of Results from Clinical Trials

Improving the timely disclosure of clinical trial results will increase value and efficiency in the use of research funds, reduce reporting biases and waste in research, and contribute to better decision-making in health. CIHR is committed to working with researchers in support of achieving compliance.

Clinical trials must be registered in a publicly available, free to access, searchable clinical trial registry complying with WHO’s international agreed standards before the first visit of the first participant. CIHR monitors compliance with policy requirements on an annual basis, by asking impacted researchers to provide clinical trial registration identifiers, and links to summary results and open access publications.

CIHR Policy Guide - Requirements for Registration and Disclosure of Results from Clinical Trials
N2 Standard Operating Procedures for Clinical Research

N2 Standard Operating Procedures for Clinical Research

Please contact alex.trethewey@ubc.ca to obtain SOP document password.
UBC Policy LR9: Research Involving Human Participants

In compliance with UBC’s Human Research Policy, the UBC-PHC REB overlooks all approvals relevant to research involving human participants, including material of information derived from humans. Per this policy, researchers are legally obligated to the fundamental imperative of respect for human dignity above all else.

Policy Information: Researchers are encouraged to view UBC’s comprehensive list of policies, procedures, regulations, and guidance documents applicable to research involving human subjects here.

UBC Policy LR9: Research Involving Human Participants