The Rizal Technological University’s (RTU) Research Ethics Committee (REC) recently participated in a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Training Workshop on April 4-5, 2024, at the Blue Room of the R&D Building, Mandaluyong Campus, and via Zoom (Hybrid). The training was facilitated by Dr. Maria Salome N. Vios and Dr. Fred P. Guillergan from the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB).

Chaired by Dr. Rodrigo DP. Tomas, co-chaired by Assoc. Prof. Ryan Manuel D. Guido, headed (secretariat) by Asst. Prof. Lyka D. Lamoste, the committee’s primary objective for the workshop, was to refine its SOPs, ensuring they adhere to the highest ethical standards in research.

The workshop delved into crucial topics, including PHREB accreditation policies, after-review processes, and common problems in SOP development. Participants engaged in exercises designed to assess the completeness and consistency of SOPs, with a focus on correcting inconsistencies and ensuring accuracy in documentation.

Key exercises included evaluating the appropriateness of forms and citations, along with group reports addressing overarching issues such as pagination, customer satisfaction surveys, and guidelines for requesting ethics clearance.

The workshop concluded with a plenary session where participants discussed additional issues such as the development and implementation of templates and sample informed consent forms.

The REC remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting ethical research conduct and looks forward to implementing the insights gained from the workshop to further strengthen its SOPs and uphold the highest standards of integrity in research.