MMI is convening a seminar on 5th June to examine how a common ethics application form could streamline academic clinical research activities. For academic and investigator led research studies that do not involve medicinal products covered by SI 190, the conduct of multi-site clinical research requires that a separate application is made to the ethics committee of each hospital before a study can commence. With more collaborative and networked clinical research activities taking place in Ireland, applications for approval of the same study to multiple hospital Research Ethics Committees (RECs) are increasing and will continue to grow in number. A present each REC has its own application form, adding considerable to the complexity of conducing multi-site clinical studies.

The purpose of the seminar on 5th June is:

1. To hear at first-hand the challenges faced by clinical researchers making multiple applications to hospital RECs.
2. To explore the possibility of adopting a common application form, so that a form completed once by a researcher can be submitted to multiple hospital RECs. This would streamline the administration of research while at the same time respecting the competence of each RECs to make an independent ethical decision.

The seminar will begin by allowing researchers and academics to describe their experiences and make the case for a common form. Then there will be presentations by representatives of those RECs who may wish to contribute to the debate. At the end of the seminar it is hoped that the participants will be able to reach a consensus on a way forward that facilitates clinical research activities while respecting the independence of each ethics committee. The Seminar will take place from 10:30am to 4pm in the Richard Carmichael Lecture Theatre at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9. Those interested in attending please email info@molecularmedicineireland.ie or call 01 477 9820.