13th International AIDS Conference Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:(abstract no. WeOrA602)

Marchand R, Ogden R, Trussler T, Johnson A, Coleman B, Perchal P;;; R. Marchand, Community Based Research Centre, Suite 2 - 2023 West 4th Ave., Vancouver, British Columbia, V6J 1N3, Canada, Tel.: +1 604 736 91 50, Fax: +1 604 736 91 20, E-mail: rfm@attglobal.net

ISSUES: Although AIDS groups have participated in research since the epidemic began, it was not until the Vancouver Conference that community researchers from every global region met to discuss the role of community in research. Since then international meetings have been held 1) to present community research; 2) to examine barriers, capacity building and guiding principles; and 3) to establish a network for community based research. However, access to ethical review continues to be a central issue for communities pursuing funds for research. In Canada, a national code of ethics in research requires research with human subjects to submit to ethical review to be eligible for government funding. This project established a community-based Research Ethics Committee to overcome this barrier. Desc: A study on ethical review suggested that organizations could resolve some of the systemic and institutional barriers to accessing ethical review by developing an autonomous and informed community based ethics committee (Odgen, 1999). Based on the national guidelines for ethical review and ethical considerations from UNAIDS, a community research group developed policy for ethical review of research involving human subjects, including ongoing education and guidance on research ethics. The organization adopted the policy and procedures, developed terms of reference for a committee, appointed a committee and mandated them to review community research currently under scientific review for funding. This Research Ethics Committee now functions to review community research proposals and issue certificates of ethical approval, where appropriate. Concl: Funders have now recognized an ethical review certificate from a community research ethics committee thus enabling funds to be granted to a community group. Lessons learned include the need for ongoing guidance and educational resources regarding ethical issues in community research for communities and community researchers.

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