MAKATI CITY, Metro Manila- The Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) and the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB) gave recognition to newly accredited Ethics Review Committees (ERCs) during the 34^th PCHRD anniversary celebration on 17 March 2016 at New World Makati Hotel.

Awarding of 2016-Accredited  Ethics Review Committees

A total of sixteen Level 3, eight Level 2 and one Level 1 newly accredited ERCs were awarded during the event.

Among the 2016-Accredited ERCs for Level 3 were the Asian Eye Institute Ethics Review Committee, the Mary Mediatrix Medical Center Institutional Ethics Review Board, the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center Ethics Review Board, the Cardinal Santos Medical Center Research Ethics Review Committee, the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center, East Avenue Medical Center Institutional Review Board, the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center  Institutional Review Board, the Manila Central University – Filemon D. Tanchoco Medical Foundation Institutional Review Board, the National Children’s Hospital Institutional Review Board, the San Juan de Dios Educational Foundation, Inc. (Hospital) Institutional Review Board, the University of Sto. Tomas Hospital – Institutional Review Board, the West Visayas State University Unified Biomedical Research Ethics Review Committee, the Western Visayas Medical Center Research Ethics Review Committee, the Cebu Doctor’s University Hospital Research Ethics Committee, the Perpetual Succour Hospital Institutional Ethics Review Board, and the Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital Research Ethics Review Committee.

For Level 2, the following were accredited: National Ethics Committee, University of Santo Tomas – College of Rehabilitation Sciences Ethics Review Committee, St. Louis University Research Ethics Committee,      Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital Research  Review Committee, Western Mindanao State University Research Ethics Oversight Committee, Metro Davao Medical & Research Center, Inc. – Community Health & Development Cooperative Hospital Cluster Research Ethics Review Committee, San Pedro Hospital Institutional Ethics Review Committee, and Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital Research Ethics Review Committee.

The Mariano Marcos State University Ethics Review Committee, on the other hand, was accredited for Level 1 ERC.

Another set of newly accredited ERCs which were given recognition during 34th PCHRD anniversary celebration. 

PHREB is the national policy making body in health research ethics. Among its criteria for accreditation of ERCs are: (1) functionality of the structure and composition, (2) adherence to international, national, and institutional guidelines and policies, (3) adequacy of the Standard Operating Procedures and consistency in its implementation, (4) completeness of the review process, (5) adequacy of the after-review procedures, (6) adequacy of administrative support, and (7) efficiency of recording and archiving system.