CMMS Research Day 2022 Announcement
The Research and Ethics Committee (REC) is one of the oldest core committees at the College established in the early 1990s. The membership in the Committee is based on the National Health Regulatory Authority composition guidelines of institutional independent research ethics committees. The Committee is composed of ten members including one independent and one scientific member. The Committee reports to the Vice Dean for Graduate Studies and Research. The functions and responsibilities of the Committee include:
- Establish research policies and plans of the College based on the AGU strategy
- Implement research policies after its approval from the College Council
- Make recommendations to the College Council with regard to directions of research in the CMMS, and policies and procedures for funding research
- Review research applications, develop and implement guidelines for selection of internal/external reviewers
- Identify potential sources for external funding of research
- Recommend the purchase of capital equipment for common research use
- Organize CMMS conferences
- Establish, implement and review ethics policies and procedures for research projects which involve human or animal subjects based on internationally accepted ethical principles and standards
- Provide guidance to faculty and students on ethical aspects of research.
Throughout the year, the REC receives proposals for ethical approval for research to be conducted by CMMS faculty and students, consultants from the University Medical Center of King Abdullah Medical City, and other researchers who wants to conduct their studies at CMMS. Each academic year, the REC invites all full-time faculty of the College to submit their research proposals for funding in two cycles, October and April. Applicants are requested to complete specific forms:
Members of CMMS REC for 2020-2021
| | Name | Position | | 1 | Prof. Khaled Greish | Head | | 2 | Dr. Sfoug AlShammary | Member | | 3 | Dr.Jamil Muhammed Gul Ahmed | Member | | 4 | Dr. Fatima Al-jassim | Member | | 5 | Dr. Ahmed Jaradat | Member | | 6 | Dr. Alaa Nabil Elmazny | Member | | 7 | Dr. Manal Othman | Member | | 8 | Dr. Cristina Skrypnyk | Member | | 9 | Ms. Ghada Al-Bufalasa | Member
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How REC Helps Researchers?
- Provides consultations regarding research methodology and research ethical conduct
- Assures that research work meets international ethical guidelines
- Suggests scientific improvements to add value
- Helps improve methodology
- Provides approvals to submit to regulatory agencies
- Provides approval to publish papers
- Documents Researchers' work and acknowledges contributor's work
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Review Procedure
- Regular REC meetings take place regularly every 3 weeks
- Once the application received, it is filled and sent to all REC members
- The REC chair appoints 2 reviewers from the committee and asks them to respond within 10 days. All REC members can optionally send their feedback within the 10 days period.
- The REC reviewers (members) send their comments to the Chair and share their feedback with all members.
- Funding is announced for the 1st cycle on 15 October 2021 and on 1 April 2022 for the second cycle for this academic year 2021-2022.
- The closing date for receiving applications is one month after the announcement.
- After receiving the feedback, REC chair collects the feedback and communicates it to the applicant
- Once receiving the answers or comments from the applicant, the protocol is reviewed by the same REC reviewers in addition to the Chair or Vice Chair.
- The committee delegated the chair to issues ethical approval without discussion in the REC meeting if recommended by the reviewers and no objection from any committee member .
- If the feedback does not address the comments, the application is discussed in regular meeting for input from all members.
- The average turnover of applications is 3 weeks from submission to approval
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FAQs
Do I need REC approval when I am conducting the study on another site with their own Ethics Committee?
Currently, the accepted practice is to obtain REC ethical approval for all research to be published with CMMS affiliation as first, last, or corresponding author.
Can I appeal REC comments regarding my application? Yes, you can appeal REC comments and REC chair can offer you to meet with REC members during regular meeting. In rare case REC can invite external competent reviewers to review the application.
Why is the REC interested in issues of scientific validity or methodology? According to Sections 21 and 22 in the Declaration of Helsinki, research must conform to accepted scientific principles. Information based on inappropriate methodologies can be misleading and hence constitutes unethical research conduct.
Does REC follow up to make sure applicants adhered to the written ethical
approval?Yes, during the submission of progress report and final report of the project and if the committee is asked to provide reviews regarding specific application.
Can I modify my approved ethical approval?
Yes, However, your protocol needs to be amended accordingly and the modification reviewed by the REC for approval. |