*June 30, 2021*
The Offices of Research Ethics on the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses have updated their guidance in anticipation that authorization to resume in-person behavioural research will be fully implemented over the next few months.
Although the safety of research participants continues to be a factor in how research ethics applications are reviewed, the REBs have eased their requirements in alignment with updates issued by the British Columbia Public Health Officer (PHO) on May 28, 2021.
The BREB will be reviewing ethics applications taking into consideration the conditions in the research region including:
- Vaccination rates
- Rates of COVID-19 infection
- Rates of hospitalizations due to COVID-19
While restrictions are easing, researchers should continue to consider ways they can reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission within research teams and with participants. Both the Safe Research Guidelines and the Safe Research Plan template have been updated (June 2021). In instances where a Safe Research Plan is no longer required, researchers will still need to describe their safe research protocols for both new and resuming research. The BREB will not approve activities that do not adhere to the minimum standards imposed by the public health order for the community where research is taking place.
To learn how your research may be affected, please find the sections below that most closely match your research scenarios. If you are unsure of which description applies to your research, please contact BREB staff. We continue to work remotely, but can be reached by email: BREB Vancouver | BREB Okanagan.
If your research requires the use of health authority sites, please contact your Health Authority or Public Health Institution for guidance. Guidance on this page is for community and UBC-based research and does not apply to research taking place within Health Authority facilities.
Principles for the resumption of in-person research
- All in-person research that can be done safely may proceed.
- Researchers may not undertake research activities that will unnecessarily increase the risk to participants of contracting COVID-19.
- Researchers will provide details of their safe research plan to the degree required (see the scenarios below) based on the risk status of the region where in-person research is proposed and the nature of the research methods being employed.
Please note that an amendment is required to resume all previously approved in-person research that has been on hold or to convert online studies to in person research. Please see below for details.
Vaccination Status
The Behavioural REBs (and all UBC-Affiliated REBs) endorse the BC provincial COVID-19 vaccination program and recommend that all researchers be vaccinated as a layer of protection for themselves and the participants with whom they interact. The relationship between researchers and participants is not the same as an employer-employee relationship; it is both legal and ethical. The ethics of trust articulated in the Tri-Council Policy Statement TCPS 2 (2018) – i.e. respect for persons, concern for welfare, and justice – applies to the researcher-participant relationship. Researchers also have a fiduciary duty to their participants, in much the same way that a physician has to their patients, which requires them to act in the best interests of participants.
While immunization is not mandatory, researchers do have a duty to disclose their vaccination status to research participants if asked. Further, the BREB may require that researchers disclose their vaccination status in their safety protocols and to their proposed participants in instances where:
- Research activities increase the number of in-person contacts experienced by participants
- Research interactions need to take place over an extended period of time
- There are challenges to mitigating the risk to participants
In other instances, researchers who are not required to do so, may elect to disclose their vaccination status in their ethics application (as part of their safety protocols). Since research participants are not required to disclose their vaccination status, researchers should base their safety protocols on the premise that research participants have not been vaccinated.
Research Context
The Behavioural REBs will review ethics applications and related safety protocols in view of the specific research context and the risks entailed for both research participants and researchers. The following sections provide more detail about the information researchers will be required to provide and instructions for submitting new or resuming ethics applications. If you don’t find the information you are looking for, please contact BREB staff for a consultation: BREB-Vancouver or BREB-Okanagan.
Resuming Previously Approved or On-Hold research
- All researchers intending to resume in-person research will need to submit an amendment.
- Researchers will need to conduct a COVID health check with participants before each interaction.
- Researchers will need to provide the Notice of COVID-related risk to invitees/participants.
- All research conducted outside Canada will need to include a Safe Research Plan. The BREB will consider current circumstances in the region where the research is being undertaken, so please ensure that your Plan includes as much detail as possible about current public health directives, vaccination rates, rates of COVID-19 infection, and rates of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in the region/s where you will be conducting research.
For specific details that apply to your research scenario, please review the instructions below.
You received approval pre-COVID for in-person research but it has been on hold since the implementation of COVID-19 restrictions
If you are conducting research on a campus or in an institutional setting (regulated facility such as a school or community centre):
- Follow the facility requirements.
- Ensure that your ethics application specifies the locations where your research will be conducted in Section 4.2. Institutions and Sites for Study.
- Add a dated sub-heading at the bottom of any boxes that need to be amended, e.g. “July 2021 resumption of research amendment.” Do not overwrite previously approved content in the ethics application.
- In Box 5.6 include a note that indicates which safe research protocols you are following and confirm that a COVID health check will be used for all participants at the start of each interaction.
- Confirm in Box 6.6 that the Notice of COVID-related risk will be included in the consent form package.
- For research being conducted outside UBC (e.g. on school property) or Health Authority facilities, attach the facility’s safety protocol, if available, to Box 9.7.
If you are conducting research in a non-regulated setting, off-campus but within Canada (e.g. café, participant home or office):
- Ensure that your ethics application specifies the locations where your research will be conducted in Section 4.2. Institutions and Sites for Study.
- Provide details of your safe research protocols in Box 5.6 or complete a Safe Research Plan and attach to Box 9.7. Add a dated sub-heading at the bottom of Box 5.6, e.g. “July 2021 resumption of research amendment” and describe any changes to your methods since pre-COVID approval. Do not overwrite previously approved content describing your research procedures.
- Include a note that a COVID health check will be used for all participants at the start of each interaction.
- Confirm in Box 6.6 that the Notice of COVID-related Risk will be included in the consent form package.
If you are conducting research outside Canada:
- Complete a Safe Research Plan and attach to Box 9.7. The BREB will consider current circumstances in the region where the research is being undertaken, so please ensure that your Plan includes as much detail as possible about current public health directives, vaccination rates, rates of COVID-19 infection, and rates of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in the region/s where you will be conducting research.
- Add a dated sub-heading at the bottom of any boxes that need to be amended, e.g. “July 2021 resumption of research amendment.” Do not overwrite previously approved content in the ethics application.
- In Box 5.6 confirm that you intend to resume in-person research and include a note that a COVID health check will be used for all participants at the start of each interaction.
- Confirm in Box 6.6 that the Notice of COVID-related risk will be included in the consent form package.
You converted your previously approved in-person methods to online in response to COVID-19 and want to resume in-person research
If you are conducting research on a campus or in an institutional setting (regulated facility such as a clinic or long-term care facility):
- Add a dated sub-heading at the bottom of any boxes that need to be amended, e.g. “July 2021 resumption of research amendment.” Do not overwrite previously approved content in the ethics application.
- Follow the facility requirements. When you submit your PAA, ensure that your ethics application specifies the locations where your research will be conducted in Section 4.2. Institutions and Sites for Study.
- In Box 5.6 indicate which safe research protocols you are following and include a note that a COVID health check will be used for all participants at the start of each interaction.
- Confirm in Box 6.6 that the Notice of COVID-related risk will be included in the consent form package.
- For research being conducted outside UBC (e.g. on school property) or Health Authority facilities, attach the facility’s safety protocol if available to Box 9.7.
If you are conducting research in a non-regulated setting, off campus but within Canada (e.g. café, participant’s home or office):
- Add a dated sub-heading at the bottom of any boxes that need to be amended, e.g. “July 2021 resumption of research amendment.” Do not overwrite previously approved content in the ethics application.
- In Box 5.6 provide details of your safe research protocols and include a note that a COVID health check will be used for all participants at the start of each interaction. You may alternatively use the Safe Research Plan Template to describe your safe research protocols and attach to Box 9.7.
- Confirm in Box 6.6 that the Notice of COVID-related risk will be included in the consent form package.
If you are conducting research outside Canada:
- Add a dated sub-heading at the bottom of any boxes that need to be amended, e.g. “July 2021 resumption of research amendment.” Do not overwrite previously approved content in the ethics application.
- Complete a Safe Research Plan and attach to Box 9.7. The BREB will consider current circumstances in the region where the research is being undertaken, so please ensure that your Plan includes as much detail as possible about current public health directives, vaccination rates, rates of COVID-19 infection, and rates of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in the region/s where you will be conducting research.
- In Box 5.6 include a note that a COVID health check will be used for all participants at the start of each interaction.
- Confirm in Box 6.6 that the Notice of COVID-related risk will be included in the consent form package.
Your research received full approval using online-only methods and you want to change to (or add) in-person methods
If you are conducting research on a campus or in an institutional setting (regulated facility such as a clinic or long-term care facility):
- Add a dated sub-heading at the bottom of any boxes that need to be amended, e.g. “July 2021 resumption of research amendment.” Do not overwrite previously approved content in the ethics application
- If changes are needed to documents attached to page 9, do not remove previous versions that were put into use. Add new versions of documents using track changes to make edits.
- Follow the facility requirements.
- Ensure that your amendment specifies the locations where your research will be conducted in Section 4.2. Institutions and Sites for Study.
- Indicate in Box 5.6 which safe research protocols you are following and confirm that a COVID health check will be used for all participants at the start of each interaction.
- Confirm in Box 6.6 that the Notice of COVID-related risk will be included in the consent form package.
- For research being conducted outside UBC (e.g. on school property) or Health Authority facilities, attach the facility’s safety protocol if available in Box 9.7.
If you are conducting research in a non-regulated setting that is off campus but within Canada:
This guidance applies if you are conducting research that involves meeting participants in locations where safety protocols are unknown, such as a café, participant’s home or office.
- Add a dated sub-heading at the bottom of any boxes that need to be amended, e.g. “July 2021 resumption of research amendment.” Do not overwrite previously approved content in the ethics application.
- If changes are needed to documents attached to page 9, do not remove previous versions that were put into use. Add new versions of documents using track changes to make edits.
- Provide details of your safe research protocols in Box 5.6. You may alternatively use the Safe Research Plan Template to describe your safety protocols and attach to Box 9.7.
- Indicate in Box 5.6 that a COVID health check will be used for all participants at the start of each interaction.
- Confirm in Box 6.6 that the Notice of COVID-related risk will be included in the consent form package.
If you are conducting in-person research outside Canada:
This guidance applies if you are conducting research outside Canada. The BREB will consider current circumstances in the region where the research is being undertaken, so please ensure that your Safe Research Plan includes as much detail as possible about vaccination rates, rates of COVID-19 infection, and rates of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in the region/s where you will be conducting research.
All students are required to apply for an exemption to travel outside Canada. See below for details.
All other researchers will be required to:
- Add a dated sub-heading at the bottom of any boxes that need to be amended, e.g. “July 2021 resumption of research amendment.” Do not overwrite previously approved content in the ethics application.
- If changes are needed to documents attached to page 9, do not remove previous versions that were put into use. Add new versions of documents using track changes to make edits.
- Complete a Safe Research Plan and attach to Box 9.7.
- Include a note in Box 5.6 that a COVID health check will be used for all participants at the start of each interaction.
- Confirm in Box 6.6 that the Notice of COVID-related risk will be included in the consent form package.
You are beginning or resuming research in-community* (includes rural and Indigenous research)
*“In community” in this context refers to sustained in-person engagement with research populations over a period of time, beginning prior to the onset of formal data collection. In all cases, the BREB will be looking for demonstrated community support for the researchers being present and carrying out in-person research activity.
Research in non-Indigenous communities
If you are conducting research within Canada:
- Allowed at the discretion of the community
- Submit a Safe Research Plan co-created with the community and attach to Box 9.7.
- Include a note in Box 5.6 that a COVID health check will be used for all participants at the start of each interaction.
If you are conducting research outside Canada:
- Allowed at the discretion of the community
- Submit a Safe Research Plan co-created with the community and attach to Box 9.7. The BREB will consider current circumstances in the region where the research is being undertaken, so please ensure that your Plan includes as much detail as possible about current public health directives, vaccination rates, rates of COVID-19 infection, and rates of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in the region/s where you will be conducting research.
- Include a note in Box 5.6 that a COVID health check will be used for all participants at the start of each interaction and prepare a translation to the language in which the research is being conducted.
- Note that students are required to have an exemption to travel. See below for details.