Terms of Reference

1                    To develop and regularly update institutional policy guidelines relating to conduct of research falling within the mandate of the committee.

2                    To familiarize itself with the international guidelines on research as stipulated in the various reference documents e.g. Nuremberg Code 1947, Helsinki Declaration (all edns), International Guidelines for Biomedical Research involving Human Subjects(1982) (Formulated by the Council for International Organization for Medical Sciences(CIOMS) Belmont Report, ICN guidelines and others.

3                    To review research proposals and activities with a mandate to approve or disallow/reject the planned or progressing research.  Copies of communication relating to the status of the research should be communicated to the Deputy Director (Clinical Services) KNH, Principal CHS(representing interest of UON), Deans/Directors, Chairman and Heads of Departments of where the investigator hails from.

4                    To formulate and maintain, in consultation with the HOD, Medical Records, an inventory containing past and current research activities and outcomes so as to minimize undesirable duplication.

5                    To ensure enforcement by the Institutional Medical Records Department that no patients records are retrieved from the department for purposes of research without due clearance by the Committee

6                    To ensure through the records departments that patient’s records are returned promptly after use and no documents are lost.

7                    To establish machinery to detect and eradicate plagiarism and fraud.

8                    Institute an on-going surveillance mechanism to ensure that no research is carried out without ethical approval.

9                    To develop guidelines on immediate, short and long term disciplinary actions to be taken and by who on research studies carried without formal approval by the KNH/UON-ERRC.

            In enforcing disciplinary action, the following offices will be involved:

   ü                  Director, KNH

   ü                  Deputy Director (Clinical Services), KNH

   ü                  Principal, CHS

   ü                  Dean/Directors of respective schools/ Faculties

   ü                  Chairman/Head of Department of Section where the accused hails from.

   ü                  In charge of Unit where the research was being carried out.

10               To identify, recommend and facilitate acquisition of appropriate and current resource/reference reading materials for the utilization by members of the committee and would be researchers.

11               To maintain close liaison with local and international Research and Ethics Review Boards so as to keep abreast with any changes/amendments/new developments that touch on the principles of research.

12               To gather and disseminate through regular seminars and workshops information relating to Ethics and Research to and in consultation with the stake-holders.

13               To deal with any other matter that directly or indirectly touches on Ethics and Research as and when the committee deems necessary.