Re: Implementation of a fee for annual renewals for ethical review of privately sponsored research studies

Effective April 1, 2012 all applications for annual renewal of ethics approval for current (i.e., active and approved prior to April 1, 2011) privately sponsored (industry-funded) research studies will be subject to a charge of $250 when they are submitted for annual renewal. 

All new studies submitted for initial ethics approval subsequent to April 1, 2011 will be subject to an annual renewal fee of $500 when they are submitted for annual renewal.

Accordingly, any privately sponsored study currently under the oversight of any of UBC’s affiliated Research Ethics Boards (REBs) that is closed (by way of submission of an application for study closure) prior to April 1, 2012 will not be subject to the annual renewal fee.

This fee reflects the additional REB time and resources required for conducting annual renewals of studies, and for continuous monitoring and oversight of active studies throughout the year.

Increasing regulatory and compliance obligations are requiring UBC's Research Ethics Boards to ensure that annual renewals and continuous monitoring are both substantive and meaningful.  All revenues generated as a result of this charge will be retained in their entirety by the institution that is responsible for financially resourcing the Research Ethics Board providing the review and oversight. Annual renewals will not be released until the fee has been received by the Research Ethics Board.

UBC's affiliated Research Ethics Boards are committed to ensuring that research ethics reviews and approvals are both effective, and efficient. Levying this charge will allow the Boards to continue their efforts in this respect, including implementing harmonization initiatives to avoid the need for duplication of ethical reviews. UBC's Research Ethics Boards have recently agreed to extend recognition of ethical (not resource) reviews of the same study to all of UBC’s affiliated Research Ethics Boards, irrespective of differing sites and Principal Investigators. They are committed to developing a process to facilitate this extension of the Board of Record agreement, and to pursuing any additional avenues for enhancing the timeliness of reviews, provided that research participant protection is not negatively affected.

If you have any questions or concerns respecting this notice, or any suggestions for improving the timeliness of ethical reviews at UBC, please contact Laurel Evans, Associate Director Research Ethics at laurel.evans@ors.ubc.ca or (604) 827-5113.