IHVN Ethics Committee

The Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN) Ethics Committee safeguards ethical research practice in health care and medical research. It ensures the welfare, rights and safety of everyone who takes part in research conducted under IHVN.

Purpose and role

The committee evaluates research protocols, studies and investigations to make sure they follow internationally recognised ethical principles and guidelines. It works as a partner to researchers, giving guidance, feedback and oversight so that ethics stays at the forefront of every study.

What we look for

• Protection of participants: measures that protect the dignity, privacy and physical well-being of everyone involved.
• Ethical integrity: sound methodology, data collection and transparency, and the possible impact of the research on participants and the wider community.
• Informed consent: clear, understandable and voluntary consent, so participants fully understand what taking part means.
• Balance of risks and benefits: the potential benefits of the research must outweigh any risks or discomfort to participants.
• Compliance with ethical standards: including the Declaration of Helsinki, the Belmont Report and the ICH guidelines for Good Clinical Practice (GCP).

We invite researchers to work with us to advance knowledge while upholding the highest ethical standards.

Documents to submit

1. Completed application form, through the online application portal (below).
2. Research protocol: background, objectives, methodology, expected benefits and potential risks.
3. Informed consent form, if applicable, in line with international standards.
4. Participant information sheet, if applicable, summarising the study for potential participants.
5. Supporting documents that help the committee understand and evaluate the protocol.

All materials must be in English.

Where to submit

• New protocols: apply through the online application portal.
• Everything else (yearly continuing reviews, amendments, safety event reports, questions): email [email protected].
• Unamended renewals: include a cover letter, a report of your research activities in the past year, and current GCP and HSP certificates for all investigators of record.

How long review takes

The committee decides the type of review and the timeline when it receives your application.

Payment Procedure

All payments for ethical review should be made to the IHVN account given below. If you are not sure of the type of ethical review/payment cost for your protocol, please contact the IRB secretary for clarification before making payment.

IRB Secretary Elizabeth Igbinaduwa: +2348135530212, Email: [email protected]

Ensure that you state very clearly, the indication of payment in the electronic transfer comment section or teller if you made a physical payment to the bank. Therefore, instead of just writing “Ethics Payment”, you should write “Payment to IHVN IRB for ENHANCE study”.

Account Details:

Name: IHVN ETHICS COMMITTEE FUND 

Account No: 0125452227

Bank: WEMA Bank

The committee has 16 members: 12 scientific and 4 non-scientific members, 9 women and 7 men. All members completed NHREC-approved Ethics Committee training at IHVN headquarters on 26–28 July 2023 and hold their certificates.