Can we require COVID-19 vaccination for research participation? Should we? A group discussion from the SBER Network May 18, 2021

smartphone displaying COVID-19 vaccination certificate

As COVID-19 vaccinations have ramped up, there has been a parallel surge in discussion of the legality, ethics, and practicality of so-called vaccine passports: systems or processes that require COVID-19 vaccination in order to participate in certain activities. On the SBER Network, a PRIM&R Online Community, discussion emerged about whether institutions could mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for those participating in research, what role IRBs might play in that conversation, and the principles we should take into account as we consider the question. Read more

13
May2021

What is a learning IRB? An interview with Stephen Rosenfeld, MD

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13 May

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Earlier this spring, the Maine Regulatory Training and Ethics Center (MeRTEC) launched the COVID-19 Learning IRB, a free, nonprofit “learning” IRB to review COVID-19 related research. To learn more about this initiative, we interviewed Stephen Rosenfeld, MD, a partner in the initiative and a PRIM&R board member. Read more

6
May2021

Baseball is experimenting with Minor Leaguers. Is it ethical?

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6 May

Comments: 1

The disarray brought on by COVID-19 made space for reimagining the usual rules and practices in creative ways. For baseball, this meant the chance to try out new tactics for a theoretically better game. It will test these changes out on relatively vulnerable minor league players. Is this experimentation ethical? Read more

5
May2021

I Love My Job Because of the People in it

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5 May

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On March 5, 2020, I recall a phone conversation with the chairperson of the IRB. I said, "so, what is this COVID thing?" Famous last words, one might suggest. Despite my naivete of the virus in those early days, we still had to support researchers with swift, precise responses. To compensate for gaps in knowledge, we formed a Research Compliance & Safety Committee. Read more

22
Apr2021

Getting Sick for the Sake of Advancing Medical Research

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22 Apr

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Human challenge trials, which deliberately infect subjects with diseases, are sometimes ethically controversial. This piece, originally posted in Undark, reports on the experiences of participants in previous challenge trials, such as for hookworm and malaria. Read more

16
Apr2021

The PRIM&R IACUC Conference is Transitioning to Something Big!

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16 Apr

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In 2022, instead of the annual IACUC Conference that we look forward to each Spring, we will have something new to anticipate in the Fall: the PRIM&R Annual Conference, which will encompass IACUC and animal research topics alongside human subjects research topics. This new joint conference format will bring the best of both of these communities, taking advantage of what we have come to know and love about the PRIM&R IACUC Conference and adding exposure to issues pertinent to both groups and that have become increasingly important in today’s research environment. Read more

14
Apr2021

Discussion Guides in the Knowledge Center: Spark conversation about research ethics and oversight topics

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14 Apr

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The new PRIM&R Knowledge Center houses a wide range of resources to keep you inspired and informed for your work in research ethics and oversight! As you familiarize yourself with the Knowledge Center, we want to direct you to some of our top resources. First up in this blog series, our Discussion Guides, which now available individually in the Knowledge Center to help you deepen your understanding of journal articles and other resources by providing a guide for individual review or fostering group discussion. Read more

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