Draft 2nd Edition of the TCPS – Expanded Opportunity to Comment

 

In December 2008, the Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics (the Panel) released a substantial revision to the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS) and began a cross-country consultation tour. The Panel held close to 30 consultations involving over 800 participants in 17 Canadian cities. Individuals, groups and organizations provided a significant number of comments. March 31, 2009 marks the end of this phase of the consultation process.

 

The draft 2^nd edition of the TCPS has been generally well received by Canada’s research community. The Panel appreciates the high level of community engagement to date and welcomes the many excellent suggestions that have been received, which will significantly improve the final document.

 

1. Deadline for Written Comments on the Draft Extended to June 30, 2009

The Panel has decided to accept written comments until June 30, 2009 to accommodate the approval processes of several organizations and groups that wish to submit coordinated responses to the draft 2^nd edition.

 

The Panel encourages the submission of comments as soon as possible since it will begin the work of revision in April.

 

2. Release of Revised Version of the Draft for Comments: Autumn 2009

The Panel will release a revised version of the draft to the public for further comment in October. There will be a 45-day written consultation period. The Panel will then prepare a final draft based on those comments. In February 2010, the Panel will submit a final revision to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) for their consideration.

 

The Panel values feedback from the research community. You are invited to submit your comments in writing by mail to the address below, by fax to 613-996-7117, by e-mail to Draft2e@pre.ethics.gc.ca or with the consultation feedback form at http://pre.ethics.gc.ca/eng/policy-politique/initiatives/feedback-retroaction/.

 

 

The Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS) was jointly developed in 1998 by Canada’s three research agencies—the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The Agencies formed the Panel in 2001 to interpret and promote the TCPS. The Panel’s mandate is to ensure that the TCPS evolves to keep pace with changes in research and society at large.