Janice E. Parente, PhD, is a national expert in research ethics governance and the author of Ethics on Trial – Protecting Humans in Canada’s Broken Research System.
Canada’s research governance framework must be strong enough to ensure that research ethics oversight remains independent – and that protecting research participants is its first obligation.
The bodies responsible for the ethical review of research and ensuring that it safeguards the individuals in it – operate with no national standards, no oversight and no accreditation at all.