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Ethics review roulette: what can we learn?

BMJ 2004; 328 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.328.7432.121 (Published 15 January 2004) Cite this as: BMJ 2004;328:121

Rapid Response:

Ethics review roulette: what can we learn?:The spirit, not the letter

Glasziou and Chalmers highlight eloquently the pitfalls of variations
in ethics review procedures.

As they mention, part of the problem is the potential for ethical
review of research to be reduced to a tick box exercise, where researchers
and ethics committees must go through exactly the same processes in
reviewing potential projects.This results in a frustrating one size fits
all approach which negates the spirit of the entire process.

In developing countries, this tick box approach to ethics committee
review and informed consent,ignores fundamental local contexts and
questions of power, again defeating the purpose of the process.

Greater discussion of these issues, and more in depth training of all
those involved in the ethics review process should empower decision-
makers, increase their flexibility and make them ultimately less risk-
averse.

Competing interests:
MSc student whose choice of dissertation has been limited by the complexities of ethical review

Competing interests: No competing interests

05 February 2004
Ike Anya
Specialist Registrar Public Health
Bristol North Primary Care Trust, King Square, Bristol BS2 8EE