FMS IRB functions under the supervision and advice of IRB committee and IRB members.

Objectives

• To evaluate the ethical issues of research being conducted at FMS or any other research presented for IRB clearance.
• To facilitate research and technical advice to the researchers.

Composition & Policies

1. Members will include individuals with scientific expertise, including expertise in behavioral or social sciences; health care; legal matters; ethics; and lay people whose primary role will be to share their insights about the communities from which participants are likely to be drawn.
2. There will be at least 8 members to ensure that multiple perspectives are brought into the discussion.
3. Quorum requirements provide that at least five people, including at least one lay member and/or one non-affiliated member, are present to make decisions about the proposed research.
4. The Chairman IRB, while working with the dean and principal FMH College of medicine & dentistry will establish the necessary protocols in line with the FMH System policies.
5. IRB will have a separate secretariat whose staff have the necessary training, knowledge and experience to support the IRB in performing its review function, record keeping and archiving function.

Frequency of IRB Meetings

IRB full board meetings/ IRB fast track meetings are conducted once a month or earlier as required.

Research proposals are accepted by IRB office on appropriate forms and evaluated according to the following procedures.

1. IRB form can be downloaded / collected from IRB office located at IV floor, FMH College of Medicine & Dentistry, Shadman Lahore.
2. Conditional approval is offered for observational studies being carried out by FMH students. Ethical issues are addressed by the IRB fast track team and the technical issues are taken care of by the research supervisor. Final IRB clearance will be required before sending the data for publication.
3. N.B: All Projects that cover whole of Pakistan or that are conducted two or more provinces/regions of Pakistan or projects having collaboration from outside Pakistan are sent to National Bioethics Committee (NBC), Pakistan for Ethical Clearance.Contact us: IRB office, IV floor FMH College of Medicine and Dentistry Shadman, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan Email: IRB@FMHCMD.EDU.PK, ahsan.khan@fmhcmd.edu.pk Phone: +92-111-555-600 Ext.580