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Collaboration between NHREC and NAFDAC has improved in recent time largely due to better communication. NAFDAC is the Parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Health of Nigeria responsible for certifying investigational materials for use in clinical trials, quality assurance of the material throughout the trial period and registration of new drugs following successful clinical trials. Therefore in recognition of important stakeholdership of this institution in supporting ethical conduct of clinical trials, NHREC has initiated a mechanism for improved communication between the two bodies. To this end, periodic meetings between the two bodies are held in order to address existing and emerging issues in clinical trials in Nigeria. In addition, NHREC presently has started a process that will ensure that eventually, NAFDAC will have a standing membership position on NHREC.
It was an outcome of these interactions that NAFDAC now requires that clinical trials not approved by NHREC accredited Health Research Ethics Committee before consideration for approval. This collaboration is expected to grow stronger and will help in strengthening a unified system for human research participant protection in Nigeria.
NHREC now has United States Federal Wide Assurance so that when the NHREC functions as an ethics committee according to the National Code and reviews protocols, such protocol review meets the requirements of United States Federal Government funded research.
The next certificate in health research ethics training course will start on 2nd of October and last till 30th of Nov 2008. It will take place at Center for Bioethics, Ibadan. Course fee is N50,000 and there are limited number of scholarships available from West African Bioethics Training Program. For more information contact Ms. Yemisi Ajibose (
Collaboration between NHREC and the US Military HIV/AIDS Research Programme
Collaboration between NHREC and the US Military HIV/AIDS Research Programme on how to ensure good ethical practice in the HIV/AIDS Vaccine Research they are about to initiate. In order to get things right, they are concentrating on building capacity of their collaborators on ethics. They are collaborating with the Nigerian Ministry of Defense for the entire research
You can Download a copy of the minute of the meeting for your digest.
NHREC Quartery Meeting
The National Health Research Ethics Committee held her quarterly meeting on August 1, 2007 at Ministerial Conference Room, Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Secretariat, Abuja.
A lot of issues were raised in the meeting, ranging from Submission of Code to FEC and for Gazetting, NHREC Visit to Western IRB, Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R), Health Research Ethics Society of Nigeria (HRESON), Registration with UNESCO, Media Advocacy, NHREC Registration with OHRP & FWA, Registration of Ethics Committees, NAFDAC and Clinical Trials, NHREC Collaboration with WABTP for Capacity Building, to Consideration for upgrading NHREC.
Following a lengthy discussion on the advantages of ensuring that a uniform framework for research ethics was established, the idea of upgrading NHREC to status where it will be more empowered to take up the interest of other sectors including, science and technology, agriculture and environment was held. An appropriate structure was debated as to whether it should be a body under the Presidency or an standing agency under the FMoH.
It was however cautioned that NHREC should for the present concentrate more on: publicizing itself and its functions; resolving the potential clash in roles between it and NAFDAC; and ensure the submission of the code to the FEC and its gazetting. The timing for presentation of this proposal to the Hon. Minister, it was observed was important and should be considered first. ..
West African Bioethics
Bioethics Resources on the Web
The Wellcome Trust Biomedical Ethics Programme
Bioethics Information Retrieval Project