Governance of the Ottawa Health Science Network Research Ethics Board (OHSN-REB)

The Board of Governors of The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) and the Board of Directors of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI)—collectively referred to as the Governors/Directors—delegate to the Ottawa Health Science Network Research Ethics Board (OHSN-REB) the responsibility for the ethical review and oversight of all research involving human participants conducted at TOH and UOHI.

This delegation of authority may be extended to other institutions through jurisdictional agreements, including research applications submitted by members of the University of Ottawa (UO) or under the auspices of Clinical Trials Ontario (CTO).

Mandate and Oversight

Through this governance policy, the Governors/Directors establish a structure that grants the OHSN-REB the mandate, autonomy, jurisdiction, and authority necessary to oversee research ethics for investigations conducted under its purview.

This includes:

• Defining the roles and responsibilities of the OHSN-REB
• Ensuring the provision of adequate resources
• Implementing processes to ensure compliance with relevant ethical guidelines, legislation, and regulatory requirements

In collaboration with the Vice President of Research at TOH and the Scientific Director of UOHI, the Governors/Directors will identify the Chair of the OHSN-REB, who will also serve as Chair of the OHSN-REB Operations Committee. Formal procedures will guide the selection, appointment, performance evaluation, and term limits of the Chair and Vice-Chairs of the OHSN-REB.

OHSN-REB Operations Committee

The OHSN-REB Operations Committee serves as the administrative mechanism supporting the REB within the authority defined by its terms of reference. The committee is chaired by the OHSN-REB Chair, with REB members providing advice and support to the Chair, Vice-Chair and REB Manager.

This committee:

• Guides the mandate, jurisdiction, and operations of the OHSN-REB
• Oversees policy development related to research involving human participants
• Ensures compliance with all applicable guidelines and regulatory requirements

Research Oversight

TOH and UOHI rely on the OHSN-REB to ensure scholarly and ethical review of research proposals, in accordance with scientific review policies and standards. All research involving human participants, conducted by Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) and Ottawa Heart Research Institute Corporation (OHIRC) research investigators requires OHSN-REB approval.

Purpose of the OHSN-REB

The core purpose of the OHSN-REB is to assess the ethical acceptability of research involving human participants at TOH and UOHI, or by their personnel.

Scientific and scholarly assessments may be carried out by the OHSN-REB directly, or—when additional expertise is required—by independent experts within the institution, university faculty, or external sources.

Meetings and Support

The OHSN-REB may convene remote or in-person meetings at any of the TOH campuses, the UOHI, or other appropriate locations. Meetings may also be held virtually during publicly declared emergencies, at the discretion of the Chair or Vice-Chairs.

The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) provides administrative support and resources necessary for the OHSN-REB to carry out its functions effectively.

Resources

To view the OHSN-REB Governance Policy in its entirety please refer to the following link: OHSN-REB Governance Policy

To view the OHSN-REB Operations Committee Terms of Reference Policy in its entirety please refer to the following link: ToR OHSN-REB Operations Committee