The Health Research Ethics Board of Alberta (HREBA) charges $4000 for the initial full board review, or $1000 for the initial delegated review, of an industry funded study.
All industry funded studies, regardless of their initial approval date, will not be charged any additional fees for changes e.g. modifications, annual renewals, closures.
Under exceptional circumstances and to ensure a quality review for each study submitted, the Health Research Ethics Board of Alberta (HREBA) may at times limit the number of studies reviewed at a committee meeting.
As necessary, only 10 complete applications received prior to the submission deadline may be assigned to a meeting. If such a limitation is put in place, applicants of studies that are not being reviewed at that particular meeting will be notified.
Note that submissions are administratively screened upon receipt. Those requiring revisions are not assigned to a meeting until the requested changes have been made. For a pdf version please see the memo HREBA Submission Management Policy.
The Health Research Ethics Board of Alberta (HREBA) is recruiting members with expertise in research content and methodology, privacy and members of the community. These include:
The Role:
Successful nominees will join either the Clinical Trials Committee or the Cancer Committee to help ensure that the rights and welfare of research participants within the province of Alberta are adequately protected in accordance with the Tri-Council Policy Statement on the Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2014) and other regulatory requirements.
Members attend a monthly meeting and receive an honorarium. Depending on the committee, meetings are held either in Edmonton or Edmonton and Calgary. These are three-year term positions (2017-2020) that are renewable for an additional term.
How to Apply:
Please send a letter of interest and Curriculum Vitae outlining relevant qualifications and if applicable a summary of your research and ethics experience to:
Wendy Burrill, Associate Director of Research Ethics
Alberta Innovates
Email: wendy.burrill@albertainnovates.ca
Nominations will be accepted until the positions are filled.
Background Information:
The Health Research Ethics Board of Alberta is managed by Alberta Innovates. HREBA’s three committees provide ethics reviews of research throughout the province that relies on health information under the authority of the Alberta Health Information Act. These committees include:
For all other inquiries regarding the HREBA, please contact info@hreba.ca.
The 2017 Committee meeting dates and deadlines are on each Committee’s page and are linked below.
Cancer Committee Clinical Trials Committee Community Health Committee
IRISS Updates and Changes
We now have a log of changes which have been made to the Institutional Research Information Services Solution (IRISS).
Alberta has a new way to drive research and accelerate great ideas into innovations to improve our lives and economy. The Government of Alberta is consolidating existing agencies (Bio Solutions, Energy and Environment Solutions, Health Solutions and Technology Futures) into one corporation called Alberta Innovates that will fund and drive innovations.
As of November 1, 2016, Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions (AIHS) will be one part of Alberta Innovates (AI). All references to Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions should be changed to Alberta Innovates.
On July 1, 2016, Health Research Ethics Board of Alberta (HREBA) adopted the Research Ethics Board Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which have been developed by the Network of Networks (N2) and the Canadian Association of Research Ethics Boards (CAREB).
These SOPS are compliant with applicable Canadian and US regulatory and ethics guidance criteria. They provide a model which will facilitate the distribution, adoption and maintenance of a single standard for REBs in Canada.
Use of SOPs also ensures that the ethics board is constituted appropriately and conducts its processes in a way that protects the rights and safety of study participants.
A list of the SOPs and links to the pdf documents can be found here.
As of 01 July 2016, all new adult oncology studies will be required to follow the HREBA Cancer Committee main consent template, which is now posted. Study teams are welcome to begin using the new template at any time before 01 July, after which point it will become mandatory.
To assist researchers whose studies also require approvals from Alberta Health Services (AHS) or Covenant Health for the use of their resources for research purposes (e.g., facilities, equipment, staff, patients or their records and systems), the Health Research Ethics Board of Alberta (HREBA) at Alberta Innovates (AI) is allowing AHS and Covenant Health access to the IRISS system. Access is being granted in order to facilitate applicable organizational approvals. This new agreement will streamline processes and eliminate duplication, resulting in greater efficiency. Please note this does not apply to purchasing AHS lab services for study purposes, as there are separate service provider agreements that are to be completed. More information is available here.
The HREBA Cancer Committee is now receiving all new adult and pediatric cancer studies from across Alberta which require ethics review. This significant step continues the harmonization of the work of Alberta’s research ethics boards.
Studies which have been approved by other ethics boards in the province will be transferred to HREBA during April 2016. More information is available in this background document.
