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Mission

The mission of the National Council on Ethics in  Human Research is to provide leadership in advancing the knowledge and practice of the ethical conduct of research involving humans through advice, guidance and education to stakeholders.

Terms of Reference

The National Council on Ethics in Human Research shall:

1. Assist Research Ethics Boards (REBs) in interpreting and implementing guidelines for the ethics of research involving human subjects;
2. Assist REBs in resolving contentious issues;
3. Provide assistance to REBs in establishing and implementing procedures for evaluating and monitoring the performance of research involving human subjects;
4. Establish an ongoing mechanism to assess the functions of REBs;
5. Foster education, dialogue and understanding in and among institutions, REBs, researchers, professional personnel, organizations that fund research and the public, on the ethical aspects of research involving human subjects and the implementation of appropriate guidelines;
6. Work with the ethics committees or divisions of the various Research Councils, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and Health Canada, to ensure that human research ethics guidelines or pronouncements meet the needs of research involving human subjects in Canada; and
7. Assist the REBs, institutions and organizations that fund research in maintaining and developing expertise concerning the evolution of ethical perspectives on all aspects of research involving human subjects.
8. Such expertise will involve traditional areas of research, those of newer science and technology, and particularly those relating to human cultural diversity in Canada.