The University of Health and Allied Sciences’ Research Ethics Committee (UHAS-REC) was established to review and approve all research planned to be conducted in UHAS facilities and/or involves staff and students of the University. This mandate enjoins the UHAS-REC to provide independent, competent and timely ethical review of research protocols submitted to the Committee with the objective of assuring the safety, dignity, welfare and protection of research participants, and the scientific integrity of research associated with UHAS. 

The primary goal of the REC is to protect the rights and welfare of human participants in research studies. The REC reviews human participants’ research proposals to ensure that:

• The rights and welfare of human participants used in research studies are protected.

• Risks have been considered and minimized. 

• The potential for benefit has been identified and maximized. 

• All human participants only volunteer to participate in research after being provided with legally effective informed consent.

• Research is conducted in an ethical manner and in compliance with established standards.

• Individuals seeking to conduct such research may not solicit participant participation or begin data collection until they have obtained ethical clearance from REC.

• The REC is authorized to review, approve, require modifications, or disapprove research activities conducted by researchers using human participants. 

• The REC will evaluate the science and ethics of the proposed study   

Thus the REC in its operations follows the four key principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmalficence and justice. 

Composition of the REC

The UHAS-REC is an independent and competent multidisciplinary body made up of persons with relevant and diverse scientific expertise, balanced age gender distribution, who have qualifications and experience to review and evaluate scientific and health ethics of research protocols. The 15-member REC is composed of the following:

• 7 Scientists/Academics

• 8 Non-Scientists comprising; A lawyer, Journalist, Religious Body Representing the larger Community, Sociologist, Educationist, Traditional leader, Public Health Expert and a Medical Doctor

The Officers of REC comprise the Chair, Vice Chair and the Administrator.

The REC follows a structured Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) that clearly outlines terms of reference, membership, meeting procedures and criteria for protocol reviews among others. The REC has a Secretariat at the Research Operations Office, Institute of Health Research (IHR) which is manned by the Administrator.

 

 The UHAS-REC is registered with the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) with IRB number IRB00010993 and also has Federal wide Assurance (FWA) with FWA number FWA00025461.

Protocol Submission guidelines, deadlines, Application Forms and Charges