Singapore Research Ethics Conference 2024

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

The Singapore Research Ethics Conference, to be held virtually on 23 - 25 October 2024, is jointly organised by the National Healthcare Group, National University of Singapore and Singapore Health Services. This year’s theme on "Navigating the Ethical & Regulatory Challenges with Technological Advances in Research", aims to discuss a wide variety of hot topics relevant to human subject research and to build consensus in key areas of research ethics by promoting knowledge sharing and best practices. Featured topics include the role of generative AI in research, precision medicine, research involving vulnerable population and ethical challenges of IRBs in Singapore.

WELCOME MESSAGE

Welcome to the Singapore Research Ethics Conference (SREC) 2024.

The SREC Organising Committee is pleased to welcome you to this engaging and educational event.

With the introduction of new regulations and the Covid-19 pandemic, some of the ways in which we conduct research in recent years may have changed.

We hope to address the impact of some of those changes in topics such as innovative research, digital health, and tissue banking. Our local and international speakers will be sharing their knowledge, experience and best practices. We hope this conference will be valuable to you in your role as a researcher, clinical trial coordinator, IRB member or other research professional, regarding the conduct of human subject research.

We look forward to an engaging conference with your participation. We hope you will find this a valuable experience that can help inform and improve your professional practice with regards to research ethics.

ORGANISERS

The National Healthcare Group (NHG) Office of Human Research Protection Programme (OHRPP) is committed to ensure the safety and well-being of human research participants through advocating their rights and promoting a culture of responsible conduct amongst researchers.

The OHRPP carries out its mission through an integrated Human Research Protection Programme, comprising high quality ethics review by the DSRB, enforcing contemporary quality programs and providing timely education and training for researchers.

Today, this Human Research Protection Programme (HRPP) is fully accredited by the United States Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs, Inc (AAHRPP).

The NUS Centre for Biomedical Ethics (CBmE) was established in September 2006 in the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine through a generous gift by the Chen Su Lan Trust. We work to develop understanding, capacity for good judgement, and sound ethical practice in the context of healthcare provision, biomedical science and health-related policy development.

CBmE is a thriving centre for learning, teaching and research relating to ethical and legal aspects of healthcare and biomedical sciences. We study issues of broad international significance with a particular interest in learning for and from Singapore and Asia.

CBmE's involvement in SREC is led by Science, Health and Policy-relevant Ethics in Singapore (SHAPES), which is an initiative of CBmE, supported by the National Medical Research Council (NMRC).

The SingHealth Centralised Institutional Review Board (CIRB), an independent body constituted of medical, scientific, and non-scientific members, was established on 01 April 2009.

It is guided by ethical principles outlined in the Belmont Report and legal mandates outlined in the International Conference for Harmonisation Guidelines for Good Clinical Practice (ICH GCP), Human Biomedical Research Act (HBRA) and its regulations.

Its responsibility is to ensure the protection of the rights, safety and well-being of human subjects in research by approving and providing constant reviewing of research studies and amendments, and of the methods and materials used to obtain and document informed consent.

SingHealth CIRB is appointed by the Principal-In-Charge (PIC) of SingHealth. The CIRB provides an independent and timely review of research studies involving SingHealth patients, staff, facilities and/or being conducted in premises of institutions under the oversight of CIRB. Ethics review will also be provided to research institutions who have appointed the CIRB as the reviewing IRB.