Ethics, consent, informed consent and the importance of building public trust in research formed the basis of a mandatory re-accreditation training of the University of Lagos Research Ethics Committee (UNILAGREC) organized by UNILAG in conjunction with the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC).
Tagged Building Public Trust in Research, the 2-day training was held from Tuesday, July 2 to Wednesday, June 3, 2024, at Nithub, UNILAG, with the aim of training the committee members on: responsible conduct of research and protection of human research participants.
The programme focused on refining timely and constructive feedback skills, establishing standardized operating procedures in alignment with global practices, and advocating for the safety and well-being of research participants and investigators.
Facilitators included:
- Prof. Ademola Ajuwon of the Department of Health Promotion and Education at University of Ibadan (UI) who delivered presentations on International and National Guidance documents, Ethics of research with vulnerable populations, Research Integrity and Misconduct/Ethics of publication;
- Prof. Morenike Ukpong, a Professor of Paediatric Dentistry at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) who spoke on Anatomy and Physiology of a Research Protocol; Ethical Issues in International Research, CAB and CSO in Research; and
- Mr. Ado Danladi, NHREC Desk officer, whose presentations focused on Informed Consent and NHREC roles &responsibilities/Operations of HREC in Nigeria/Research Protocol Review Process.
The 2-day training provided participants with an avenue to enhance their understanding and expertise in evaluating the scientific and ethical aspects of research proposals. It also provided a platform for participants to engage in several group works, review of case studies, Mock HREC Tests and post-training tests and assessments
It would be recalled that a mandatory training session was also held for the University of Lagos Animal Care and Use Research Ethics Committee (UNILAGACUREC) on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at Faculty of Engineering Webinar Room, UNILAG.
The training programmes for UNILAGACUREC and UNILAGREC were sponsored by the African Centre of Excellence for Drug Research, Herbal Medicine Development and Regulatory Science (ACEDHARS), UNILAG and UNILAG Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement Centre of Excellence (UNILAG-SPESSCE).
Reporter: Ndidi J. Odinikaeze
Photographer: Joshua Michael
