Eastern Mediterranean Research Ethics Review Committee (EM-RERC)
Issued on: [02 September 2024]
Deadline: [16 September 2024]
The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as External Members of the Eastern Mediterranean Research Ethics Review Committee (EM-RERC). This “Call for Experts” provides information about the advisory group in question, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.
Background
The Committee's essential function is to review protocols of all health research projects involving human subjects and disease surveillance activities (in their first year of implementation) and submit them to WHO for funding in the Region.
The review aims to protect the dignity, integrity, human rights, safety, and well-being of all human participants in research. It entails a review of the protocol to ensure scientific rigor and ethical conduct of research. The Committee has the authority to approve and request modification as a condition of approval or to reject proposed activities that are within the scope of its authority.
Functions of the Eastern Mediterranean Research Ethics Review Committee (EM-RERC)
The Committee has the authority to verify that ongoing studies comply with the Organization’s policies and regulations for the conduct of health research in the Region, and it may suspend or terminate approval for ongoing studies under its jurisdiction.
During the primary ethical review of research protocols, the Committee members are expected to ensure the following:
To review the research proposals or protocols of all research projects in the countries of the Region that are funded (fully or partially) by the WHO involving human subjects.
By request, provide ethical review support for key research studies of priority in countries in the region that lack adequate ethics review capabilities.
The purpose of the ethical review process is to protect the dignity, integrity, human rights, safety and well-being of human participants in research.
Ethical review also ensures scientific rigour and ethical conduct of research.
The Committee, with its authority, can request modification(s) as a condition of approval or reject the proposed activities if it deems the modification(s) unsatisfactory.
The Committee will also have the authority to verify that ongoing research complies with WHO’s policies and regulations for conducting health research in the Region.
The protocol complies with the “CIOMS International Ethical Guidelines for Health-related Research Involving Human,” including equitable selection of subjects, appropriate safeguards to protect the rights and welfare of vulnerable subjects, and informed consent.
The research topic is important and will add to scientific knowledge.
The research topic is relevant to institutional and community interests.
The research design is appropriate, able to test the research hypothesis, and the study instruments are acceptable.
Adequate procedures are in place to avoid harm to participants in the research.
Pharmacological data for any drug used in the research are available.
The study site has appropriate clinical research facilities, and all researchers involved in interventional studies have appropriate qualifications, training, and experience.
The potential benefits to be gained from the research outweigh any expected risks.
The privacy of individuals and confidentiality of data is protected and maintained.
The project budget does not include undue inducement for subject participation, apart from legitimate compensation for travel and lost earnings.
Operations of the Eastern Mediterranean Research Ethics Review Committee (EM-RERC)
Commitment to critically review (from an ethical point of view) 5–10 research proposals per year.
Commitment to maintain confidentiality of the review process and propriety of information encountered during the review process.
Commitment to allocate time to attend RERC meetings (mostly virtual); however, there is one annual meeting, which is usually an in-person meeting. While the travel costs of the WHO-hosted meeting would be covered by the WHO, the committee's membership incurs no financial or other types of remuneration.
Who can express interest?
The Eastern Mediterranean Research Ethics Review Committee (EM-RERC) will be multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to research ethics, ethical issues, familiarity and excellent understanding of CIOMS International Ethical Guidelines for Health-related Research Involving Human and World Medical Association (WMA) International Code of Medical Ethics. Approximately [six to seven] may be selected.
WHO welcomes expressions of interest from:
Formal education and training in medicine, nursing, epidemiology, public health, or social sciences.
At least five years of experience at a senior level in an academic and research setting or national or international level.
At least five years of experience in dealing with research ethics, CIOMS and WMA guidelines, and other ethical issues.
Knowledge of WHO standards and procedures for research, including applicable ethical standards, will be considered as an advantage.
Submitting your expression of interest
To register your interest in being considered for the Eastern Mediterranean Research Ethics Review Committee (EM-RERC), please submit the following documents by 16th September 2024, e.g., 24:00h (midnight) Cairo time to
A cover letter indicating your motivation to apply and how you satisfy the selection criteria. Please note that, if selected, membership will be in a personal capacity;
Your curriculum vitae, including current and previous affiliations;
Your publications in peer-reviewed journals in the last ten years;
A signed and completed Declaration of Interests (DOI) form for WHO Experts, available at https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest.
After submission, the WHO will review the expression of interest. Only short-listed individuals will be contacted for the next steps.
Important information about the selection processes and conditions of appointment
Members of WHO advisory groups (AG) must be free of any real, potential, or apparent conflicts of interest. To this end, applicants are required to complete the WHO Declaration of Interests for WHO Experts, and the selection as a member of an advisory group is, amongst other things, dependent on WHO determining that there is no conflict of interest or that any identified conflicts could be appropriately managed (in addition to WHO’s evaluation of an applicant’s experience, expertise and motivation and other criteria).
All AG members will serve in their individual expert capacity and shall not represent any governments, any commercial industries or entities, any research, academic or civil society organizations, or any other bodies, entities, institutions or organizations. They are expected to fully comply with the Code of Conduct for WHO Experts (https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest). Advisory Group members will be expected to sign and return a completed confidentiality undertaking prior to the beginning of the first meeting.
At any point during the selection process, virtual interviews may be scheduled between an applicant and the WHO Secretariat to enable WHO to ask questions relating to the applicant’s experience and expertise and/or to assess whether the applicant meets the criteria for membership in the relevant AG.
The selection of members of the AGs will be made by WHO in its sole discretion, taking into account the following (non-exclusive) criteria: relevant technical expertise; experience in international and country policy work; communication skills; and ability to work constructively with people from different cultural backgrounds and orientations .The selection of AG members will also take account of the need for diverse perspectives from different countries, especially from low and middle-income countries, and for gender balance.
If selected by WHO, proposed members will be sent an invitation letter and a Memorandum of Agreement. Appointment as a member of a AG will be subject to the proposed member returning to WHO the countersigned copy of these two documents.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain their organizational clearance for such a role as applicable.
WHO reserves the right to accept or reject any expression of interest, to annul the open call process and reject all expressions of interest at any time without incurring any liability to the affected applicant or applicants and without any obligation to inform the affected applicant or applicants of the grounds for WHO's action. WHO may also decide, at any time, not to proceed with the establishment of the AG, disband an existing TAG or modify the work of the AG.
WHO shall not in any way be obliged to reveal, or discuss with any applicant, how an expression of interest was assessed, or to provide any other information relating to the evaluation/selection process or to state the reasons for not choosing a member.
WHO may publish the names and a short biography of the selected individuals on the WHO internet.
AG members will not be remunerated for their services related to the AG or otherwise. WHO will cover the travel and accommodation expenses of AG members to participate in AG meetings in accordance with its applicable policies, rules, and procedures.
The appointment will be limited in time, as indicated in the letter of appointment.
If you have any questions about this “Call for Experts,” please write to
