All research conducted at UBC facilities (including UBC’s affiliated hospitals) or undertaken by individuals connected to the University, that involves human subjects, animals or bio-hazardous materials must be reviewed and approved by a UBC sanctioned Research Ethics Board or Committee.
In some cases, a research project may need to be reviewed by more than one Board or Committee. For example, research that involves human blood may require review by both the Bio-Safety Committee and the Clinical REB. Please contact the Managers for the Committees or Boards if you think this may apply to your research.
The UBC Research Ethics Boards that review research involving human participants have signed a one board of record agreement allowing approvals by one UBC-affiliated REB to be recognized by the other UBC-affiliated REBs. Research conducted by the same researcher at multiple UBC sites needs ethical approval from one UBC-affiliated REB only. Most sites will, however, require separate institutional approval for resource allocation purposes.
ANIMAL CARE & BIOSAFETY:
Click on the applicable Committee on the left side-bar to obtain more information related to these Committees, including guidelines and sample application forms.
HUMAN PARTICIPANTS:
UBC currently has seven Research Ethics Boards that review and approve research studies conducted under the auspices of UBC that involve human participants. Click on the applicable Board on the left side-bar to obtain more information related to these Boards, including guidelines and sample application forms and /or a link to the applicable Board web-site.
The Behavioural REBs(Panel A and Panel B) review research that is non-clinical in nature and that does not involve any invasive procedures. These types of studies include studies involving the conduct of interviews, administration of questionnaires, tests, observations and experimental manipulations in the humanities, behavioural and social sciences.
The Okanagan REBreviews research that would otherwise be reviewed by the Behavioural REBs, which is being conducted by individuals affiliated with UBC-Okanagan.
The BC Cancer Agency REB, the Children & Women’s REB and the Providence Health Care REBreview research being conducted at these sites. If a UBC affiliated researcher wishes to conduct research at ONLY one of these sites, they must submit their ethics application to that site. UBC affiliated researchers who wish to conduct research at MULTIPLE UBC affiliated sites have the option of having their study reviewed by any UBC-affiliated REB. It is recommended, however, that they utilize the Board associated with the Institution where they hold their primary appointment.
The Clinical Research Ethics Boardreviews research that involves clinical interventions such as the testing of drugs, medical devices, rehabilitation exercise programs, and/or the analysis of clinical data obtained from medical records or studies of a clinical nature involving the linkage of data from existing databases. The CREB reviews clinical research being conducted at the UBC Hospital (Point Grey) site, and Vancouver Coastal Health Authority sites, as well as clinical research that is not required to be reviewed by BC Cancer Agency REB, Children & Women’s REB or the Providence Health Care REB as noted above.
Please consult with the administrative staff of the appropriate REB if you are not sure which REB you should apply to.
