Research Ethics

The UBC PHC REB (Research Ethics Board) is a UBC-affiliated research ethics 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 in order to protect patients, investigators and the institution.

Illustration of researcher looking through a microscope

Overview

Announcements

New Edition of the TCPS2 CORE Tutorial

CIHR Policy Guide - Requirements for Registration and Disclosure of Results from Clinical Trials

​N2 Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) for Clinical Research V.10 (2023)
(Please contact Julie.hadden@ubc.ca  to obtain document password)

Overarching Principles of Ethical Review

Ethics are principles of right conduct guiding "what ought to be done". The Board’s membership and procedures fully conform to the current requirements of the bodies regulating research ethics boards in Canada and North America. In the context of the Tri-Council Policy Statement on Ethical Research Involving Humans (TCPS2 – 2022) the Board subscribes to the following ethical principles that are commonly held and valued by diverse research disciplines:

  • 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

All research involving humans or material or information derived from humans within Providence Health Care (PHC) requires approval of the UBC Providence Health Care Research Ethics Board (UBC PHC REB) prior to the initiation of a research project. Accordingly, UBC's Policy LR9 mandates that all research involving human participants that is conducted under the auspices of the University must be approved by and overseen by a sanctioned Research Ethics Board.

In the event that an investigator cannot determine whether an intended investigation constitutes research (for instance, quality assurance studies do not constitute research), the investigator should contact the Ethics Office.

Providing such consultation on ethics matters is part of the responsibility of the Board.

Compliance with US Regulations

All UBC Research Ethics Boards have an assurance of compliance approved by the United States Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP). The Assurance obligates UBC researchers who conduct research supported by the US Federal government or regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration to comply with applicable US Federal Regulations. UBC’s Research Ethics Boards share a common set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that comply with these regulations.

United States Federal Wide Assurance (FWA)

Under the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Code of Federal Regulations 45: Part 46 A Protection of Human Subjects Section 46.103, every institution engaged in human subjects research supported or conducted by any United States Federal Department or Agency must have assurance of compliance approved by the United States Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP). The Assurance formalizes the institution’s commitment to protect human subjects.

OHRP Federalwide Assurance (FWA) and Institutional Review Board (IRB) assurance have been obtained for UBC and the CREB (REB is the Canadian terminology for an IRB). Click on the type of assurance below for more information:

Institutional Review Board
Policy Number IRB00000777 (Expiry Date August 19, 2025)

Federal Wide Assurance
Policy Number FWA00000668 (Expiry Date June 1, 2025)

Research Ethics & Guidance

The UBC PHC REB (Research Ethics Board) is a UBC-affiliated research ethics 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 in order to protect patients, investigators and the institution.

Ethics are principles of right conduct guiding "what ought to be done". The Board’s membership and procedures fully conform to the current requirements of the bodies regulating research ethics boards in Canada and North America. In the context of the Tri-Council Policy Statement on Ethical Research Involving Humans (TCPS2 – 2022) the Board subscribes to the following ethical principles that are commonly held and valued by diverse research disciplines:

  • 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

All research involving humans or material or information derived from humans within Providence Health Care (PHC) requires approval of the UBC Providence Health Care Research Ethics Board (UBC PHC REB) prior to the initiation of a research project. Accordingly, UBC's Policy LR9 mandates that all research involving human participants that is conducted under the auspices of the University must be approved by and overseen by a sanctioned Research Ethics Board.

Ethics Approval

Any research involving human participants that is conducted at UBC facilities (including UBC-affiliated hospitals) or by persons connected to the University must be reviewed and approved by one of UBC’s seven sanctioned Research Ethics Boards (REBs).

Research ethics applications must be submitted electronically through the RISe website. All amendments, renewals, and requests for acknowledgment to previously approved applications must also use RISe. UBC researchers based at one of the affiliated hospital sites or research institutes must submit ethics applications to their local REB. At the discretion of the REB Chair or Manager, a submission may be re-directed to a more appropriate REB. Please consult your local REB administrators if you are not sure which Board you should apply to.

  • What Type of Research Does the UBC PHC REB Review?
  • Who Can Submit to the UBC PHC REB?
  • Research at Multiple Sites

Should I Apply?

Should I Apply for Ethical Review?

A study which is simply quality assurance and not research does not require ethical review. Intention to publish the findings is not the litmus test for determining whether something is research or quality assurance.

The  current Tri Council Policy Statement defines research as “an undertaking intended to extend knowledge through a disciplined inquiry or systematic investigation” and, states that quality assurance studies, performance reviews, or testing within normal educational requirements do not normally require review, unless they include an element of research and the findings will be published or presented at a conference. The Tri Council Policy Statement, article 2.5, further defines quality assurance studies as studies related directly to assessing the performance of an organization or its employees or students, within the mandate of the organization or according to the terms and conditions of employment or training.

The Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Care research institutes (VCHRI and Providence Research, respectively) have developed a checklist to assist researchers determine whether their quality improvement (including quality assurance and program evaluation) projects should be reviewed by a research ethics board before initiating the project.

The “VCH/PHC QI & REB Review Checklist" tool can be downloaded here. We encourage you to read through the document, and to incorporate the completion of this checklist into their project preparation.

The decision support tools found on the ARECCI (Alberta Research Ethics Community Consensus Initiative) may also benefit in planning your Quality Improvement and Evaluation projects.

If there is any doubt as to whether your research requires review, we recommend that you consult with the Board or, alternatively, submit an application. None of UBC’s affiliated REBs will review or acknowledge research that has already been conducted. 

Before You Apply

Please review all of the following information before you apply. Click on a link below for specific information on if you should apply for ethical review, the application process, ethics fees, FAQ's and application tips.

Application Process

The UBC PHC Research Ethics Board (UBC PHC REB) requires that all applications be submitted electronically through 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. It is a secure online document management system. All submissions and department approvals of ethics applications to any of the UBC-affiliated REBs must use RISe. All amendments, renewals, and requests for acknowledgment to previously approved applications must also use RISe.

The Process of Obtaining Study Approval (pdf)

  • 1. Register with RISe
  • 2. Complete the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS2) Online Tutorial

Ethical Review Fees

Increase to Fees for Ethical Review of Privately Sponsored Research Studies

A fee for ethical review applies only to sponsored research studies (i.e., those funded by industry such as pharmaceutical, biological or medical device company) or funding for any other for profit organization.

The initial ethics review fee is waived for:
•    Studies that do not have funding 
•    Studies funded by a grant from a non-profit organization
•    Studies that receive internal grants from UBC, PHC or their affiliated agencies or research institutes. 
•    Studies funded by cooperative groups (i.e. COG)
•    Studies funded by CIHR, SSHRC, NSERC and NIH (including NIH Institutes)
 

  • Sponsored Research Fees
  • Renewal Fees

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I know if the Department Head has approved the application?
  • When can I expect my application to be approved?
  • How do I get access to RISe?
  • Do I have to submit separate applications for different hospital sites?
  • Whom should I put as the Principal Investigator?
  • Does my Quality Improvement project require ethical review?
  • How do I register my Clinical Trial?
  • What does the REB require for a research protocol/plan?
  • How will I find out if my study has been approved?

Application Tips

  • Peer Review
  • United States Regulations
  • Renewals
  • Proviso/Deferral Response
  • RISe Application Form
  • Documents
  • Version Dates
  • Data Retention
  • Study Completion

UBC-PHC Research Ethics Board

Policies and Resources

Policies & Procedures

To view a comprehensive listing of UBC policies, standard operating procedures, regulations and guidance that apply to research involving human subjects, please click on the link below.

UBC Policies & Standard Operating Procedures

This page also provides a broad list of policies applicable to research involving human subjects in Canada, USA, and the international community.

Privacy

Privacy and Confidentiality for Researchers Working from Home in Response to COVID-19

To respond to COVID-19 pandemic, many researchers are now needing to work from home and therefore, may need to adapt their project.  This document will provide some guidance to working from home.

Data Encryption Guideline

Encryption enhances the security of information by scrambling it and then making it legible only to authorized, authenticated users. Encryption can be applied to USB keys, hard drives, specific files and mobile devices. This guideline provides recommendations for options and best practices with encryption.

PHC Information Access & Privacy Office (LAPO) -- Quick Reference Guide for PHC/PHCRI  Researchers

This document will provide researchers with quick and easy to find options and best practices to better protect the Personal Information (PI) of participants.

VCH-PHC Quality Improvement Intake

Confidentiality Acknowledgement For Remote Monitors

PHC PIA REDCap Checklist