Purpose and Review

The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures undertaken to reduce its spread have significantly affected how human participant research can proceed. We recognize that researchers may be questioning whether in-person research can begin/resume.

After careful deliberations, it remains the recommendation of the Research Ethics Board that any and all research activities that can proceed and/or remain at a distance continue to be engaged in that manner and that in-person research that cannot be conducted remotely, be postponed and/or suspended. The situation with this current health crisis is ever-changing and the risk remains significant.

However, the Board recognizes that there may be some situations in which it is critical that in-person research proceed. It is incumbent upon the researcher to justify why a research project cannot be delayed or conducted remotely and the Research Ethics Board will consider requests to conduct in-person research on a case-by-case basis.

If your project has already received ethical approval and is currently suspended, you must submit an Ethics Modification Event Form to justify why in-person contact needs to commence and outline the strategies you will implement to minimize the risk of transmission of COVID-19, and upload any and all revised participant documents, including the COVID-19 Assessment Checklist. For details on how to submit a modification to your study, refer to the 'After Approval' section on the Human Ethics Human Ethics.

If you are submitting a new research ethics application for a study that proposes to include in-person research activity(ies), you must submit either the Faculty/Staff or Student (as applicable) COVID-19 Application For Ethical Approval for Studies that Propose to Use In-Person Activity(ies). Please refer to the guidelines while completing this application.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Research Ethics Office at rebsec@athabascau.ca

While there is an expectation that all Athabasca University researchers will carry out their work ethically, specific ethical review is only required in certain cases.

Research requiring ethics review

Ethics review is required for any research project involving human participants, human biological materials, or animals that is conducted by:

• members of the Athabasca University community:
  • faculty
  • staff
  • research assistants/associates
  • students
  • post-doctoral fellows
  • visiting researchers
• external researchers who:
  • collaborate with AU researchers
  • use AU resources
  • wish to access AU participants

These projects must receive prior written approval of the AU Research Ethics Board (REB), funded or not, and regardless of where the research is located.

• Learn about the Human Ethics Review Process

Research Using Health Information Governed by the Health Information Act

Research that requires the collection of, or access to, health information that is protected under the Health Information Act, must be approved by a designated HREB in Alberta.

• Learn about the new Research Ethics Review Process

Animal Ethics

Research, teaching or testing that involves animals also requires ethical review, but this is a separate process managed by the University of Alberta.

• Learn more about ethical review for animal care and use

Purpose of review

The review is designed to ensure researchers meet the 3 main principles of ethical research with human participants:

1. Respect for persons
   • autonomy
   • voluntariness
   • informed choice
   • capacity
2. Concern for welfare
   • risk in proportion to benefit
   • no unnecessary risks
   • impact on participants and their communities
3. Justice
   • fair and equitable treatment
   • equal distribution of risks and benefits
   • protection of vulnerable populations
   • justifiable inclusion
   • managing power imbalances

Exemptions

There are some limited exemptions to REB review, where protection is available by other means.