RE: bioethics: Protocol Review Charges

["Prof. Baboo" <ksbaboo@coppernet.zm>]

Dear all,

We in Zambia have an Ethics Committee which is also National.  We are 
operating since 1982. We do not have an oversight [group] nor an archive to go 
back to historical issues. We receive protocols from both within and overseas.
 These, in return, pay a small sum for review.  This is not even enough to 
bear the cost of stationery.  Besides this, there are no other means of 
funding the committee.  There have been organisations who have collaborations 
with us, who are eager to fund.  We are well aware of the problems of 
compromise and coercion.  I agree that we should raise funds but I am not in 
favor of funding coming to IRB/EC through through such organisations who may 
have a hidden agend. This may influence or compromise ethics review.  Funding 
is an issue which needs to be discussed at a bigger forum.

Prof K S Baboo, former chair of EC.

-----Original Message-----
From: bioethics@hsphsun2.harvard.edu
Date: Wednesday, December 16, 2002 8:19 AM
Subject: RE: bioethics: Protocol Review Charges

[Moderator’s Note: This message is a compilation of several short responses to 
the postings regarding Protocol Review Charges.]

CONTENTS:
1. Response from Clement Adebamowo
2. Response from Rose Kingamkono
3. Response from Faiza Osman

*****1.*****
From: "Clement Adebamowo" <cadebamo@hsph.harvard.edu>

In many instances, institutions receive indirect costs from research grants 
(at least some of them); researchers should pressure their institutions to use 
these funds to support their IRBs.

*****2.*****
From: "Rose Kingamkono" <rkingamkono@costech.or.tz>

Dear all,

I agree with Julieta. Extra fees may not be necessary and may turn out to be a
hindrance to health research in our poor countries, yet we need it for our 
development. However, some fees are necessary to offset the running cost of 
the IRB, only they should not be prohibitive. This could be part of the 
research budget and therefore sourced from the funder of the research.

Rose

Rose Rita Kingamkono (Ph.D)
Director, Research Coordination & Promotion
Tanzania Commision for Science & Technology
Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road, Kijitonyama
P.O. Box 4302 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Tel. 255 (22) 2700752/45
Mobile: 255 (744) 769808
255 (741) 540860
Fax: 255 (22) 2775313/4
E-mail: rkingamkono@costech.or.tz <rkingamkono@costech.or.tz> ,
rose5306@yahoo.co.uk <rose5306@yahoo.co.uk> , www.costech.or.tz
<http://www.costech.or.tz>

-----Original Message-----
From: From: "Dr. Julieta Quayle" <jquayle@uol.com.br>
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2002 7:22 AM
Subject: RE: bioethics: Protocol Review Charges

Dr. Ames Dhai,

I agree with you that the reponsability for the well being of any human 
subject is the PIs, and that we should find ways of making local and regional 
RTIs stronger. I disagree, though, that charging extra fees would improve 
research
situation in developping countries. We have to remember that most times 
researchers do not have funds to carry their pprojects, and any extra fees
might render research impossible if not funded by rich groups. On the other
hand, I agree that there is a very important challenge there.

Dr. Julieta Quayle
Director of Research
Hospital and Clinical Psychology Department
Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo
(São Paulo State University Medical School Hospital)


*****3.*****
From: "Faiza Osman" <osmanfaiza@hotmail.com>

Dear all,

I think the problem in developing countries is complicated for post review and
implementation of ethical issues, specifically community benefits.  In our 
situation in Sudan, the application of ethical issues in epidemiological
research is very difficult.  We always find these problems and questions in
reviewing proposals in our institutional ethical committtee.  This is why the
committee decided to discuss the expected budgets to see how the PIs can 
manage, because some times you work in endemic areas and you need to evaluate
all ill patients, so the ethical committee needs time and power to do their
work.

Committees should be empowered to raise their own funds to meet their 
operational costs, as Professor Kilama said.

What we decided to do for that, is that the committee shall obtain the 
necessary funds through application fees, and a percentage from accepted 
grants and from donations and other resources.

Dr. Faiza Mohamed Osman
Head, Epidemiology and Clinical Studies Department
Institute of Endemic Diseases
University of Khartoum
Sudan

*****
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