Review Paper on Research Ethics In Ethiopia: Experiences and Lessons Learnt from Addis Ababa University College of Health Sciences 2007-2012

Health research in Ethiopia is increasing both in volume and type; accompanied with expansion of higher education and research since the past few years. This calls for a proportional competence in the governance of medical research ethics in Ethiopia in the respective research and higher learning institutes. The paper highlights the evolution and progress of the ethics review at Addis Ababa University- College of Health Sciences (AAU-CHS) in the given context of health research review system in Ethiopia. Reflections are made on the key lessons to be drawn from the formative experiences of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and their implications to the Ethiopian health research review system. This article is a review paper based on review of published and un published documents on research ethics in Ethiopia and the AAU-CHS (2007-2012). Thematic summaries of review findings are presented in thematic areas - formation of ethics review and key factors in the evolution of ethics review and implications The IRB at AAU-CHS has been pivotal in providing review and follow-up for important clinical studies in Ethiopia. It has been one of the first IRBs to get WHO/SIDCER recognition from Africa and Ethiopia. Important factors in the successes of the IRB among others included leadership commitment; its placement in institutional structure; and continued capacity building. Financial challenges and sustainability issues need to be addressed for the sustained gains registered so far. Similar factors are considered important for the new and younger IRBs within the emergent Universities and research centers in the country

Research Ethics Review Practices: Experiences of The Armauer Hansen Research Institute/ All Africa Leprosy and Tuberculosis Rehabilitation and Training Center Ethics Review Committee; Ethiopia

The need for ethics review committees (ERCs) is imperative in the conduct of research to ensure the protection of the rights; safety and well-being of research participants. However; the capacities of most ERCs in Africa are limited in terms of trained experts; competence; resources as well as standard operating procedures. The aim of this report is to share experiences of one of the local institutional ERCs; the Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI)/All Africa Leprosy and Tuberculosis Rehabilitation and Training Center (ALERT) Ethics Review Committee (AAERC); to other ERCs found in academic and research institutions inthe Country. In this report; we used an empirical approach to reviewarchived documents of the AAERC Secretariat to assess the Committee's strengths and weaknessesThe experiences of the AAERC in terms of its composition; routine work activities; learning practices and pitfalls that require general attention are summarized. In spite of this summary; the Committee strongly acknowledges the functions and roles of other ERCs in the Country. In addition; an independent assessment of the Committee's activity in general is warranted to evaluate its performance and further assess the level of awareness or oversights among researchers about the roles of ERCs