The Ethics Advisory Group (EAG) was established to provide ethical guidance on The Union's work at national and international levels. Its roles are to safeguard the dignity and rights of study participants and to promote ethical standards in lung health services. The five members of the EAG have been selected to ensure professional and geographic representation. Current members are citizens of South Africa, India, Sudan, Philippines and the USA. They are professionals in the fields of social science, research, clinical medicine and public health.
The EAG reviews every protocol in which a Union staff member or consultant is the principal researcher, likely to be a co-author, or if The Union funds or sponsors the study. Through a formal application process (details of which are described on The Union website), the EAG evaluates especially the societal value of the study, the methods (poor science is unethical), informed consent forms for studies involving more than record reviews, risks to participants, confidentiality of participant information, local community and researcher/health service involvement and local ethics committee approval. Studies involving existing data and record reviews must all be reviewed by the EAG.
The number of applications to the EAG has risen significantly over the past two years. This reflects the work generated by the Centre for Operation Research and TREAT TB. Of the 108 applications since the Group's inception late in 2004, most (85%) were received in the last two years. In 2010, the 64 applications were for studies planned in India (29), South Africa (14), Malawi (6) and the rest in other countries (Brazil, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Pakistan, Tanzania and Zimbabwe). Thirty-five of the applications (those involving studies of existing data only) were reviewed and approved by the EAG chairperson and twenty-seven by the full committee. (One application was withdrawn, one has not yet been approved). If the EAG has concerns and suggestions about ethical issues, these are communicated to applicants. Approval is given when necessary revisions are made.
Research plans for 2011 indicate that the volume of work will continue to rise with the Centre for Operational Research and TREAT TB planning to submit a number of applications.
For detailed information about the EAG, including reports, procedures and members, please visit http://www.theunion.org/ethics-advisory-group-eag.html