UP Visayas Research Ethics Board receives Level 1 accreditation from PHREB
The application of the UP Visayas Research Ethics Board (UPVREB) for Level 1 accreditation was approved by the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB) on 24 October 2022. The UPVREB ensures that students, faculty, and researchers comply with the ethical conduct of research involving human participants.
Prof. Cristabel Parcon, chairperson of the UPVREB said that “This accreditation will encourage more researchers to submit their proposals for ethical review thereby ensuring the conduct of their research according to ethical principles. This would mean that researchers would be more careful in dealing with their participants, ensuring their consent, safety, and security, minimizing risks, and being more transparent in their research conduct.”
The Philippine Health Research Ethics Board is the national policy-making body in health research ethics in the country and accredits research ethics committees in the country. The UPVREB was evaluated based on PHREB’s accreditation standards: functionality of structure and composition, adequacy and consistent implementation of standard operating procedures, and adequacy of administrative support.
UPVREB accreditation means that the University complies and will continue to comply with all the requirements in the conduct of quality ethical review of research involving human participants. “Level 1 accreditation is given to all new applications. This means that our procedures and processes in the UPVREB are in place. The PHREB allows us to apply for Level 2 accreditation after 6 months and we will be evaluated based on the completeness of our review processes and prost-approval procedures. Within the first year, the PHREB requires us to increase the capability of the UPVREB members, particularly through ethics trainings.” Prof. Parcon added.