Exploring views of South African research ethics committees on pandemic preparedness and response during COVID-19.

ABSTRACT: South African research ethics committees (RECs) faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research ethics committees needed to find a balance between careful consideration of scientific validity and ethical merit of protocols, and review with the urgency normally associated with public health emergency research. We aimed to explore the views of South African RECs on their pandemic preparedness and response during COVID-19. We conducted in-depth interviews with 21 participants from RECs that were actively involved in the review of COVID-19 related research, at seven academic institutions across South Africa. Interviews were conducted remotely using an in-depth interview guide that included questions regarding REC preparedness and response to COVID-19. Interviews were conduc

SUBMITTER: Burgess T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11619208 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature