Commercial and Ethical Aspects of Research

Professional Standards Regarding Commercial and Ethical Aspects of Research

Preamble

The College seeks to ensure that all medical research conducted by physicians is safe for patients and conducted with appropriate ethical rigour.

The College endorses the medical research approval policies of the Nova Scotia Health Authority Research and Ethics Board, the IWK Health Sciences Centre and the Dalhousie University Health Sciences Research Ethics Board.

Professional Standards

1. Physicians must only participate in medical research approved by the:

• Nova Scotia Health Authority Research Ethics Board;
• IWK Research Ethics Board; or
• Dalhousie University Health Sciences Research Ethics Board; or
• An ethics board that complies with relevant national guidelines including the Good Clinical Practice Standards and Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans.

2. When recruiting or enlisting patients for a medical research study, physicians must disclose any financial interest or benefit they receive for the medical research.
3. Physicians must not be listed as an author of medical research unless they played an active role in the authoring, conducting or overseeing of the medical research.