Conducting a Research Project

The project may be supported by the Institution when it is submitted to granting bodies. This support is unnecessary to proceed with the project submission. It should be noted that support for a research project does not replace the suitability review, but has the advantage of accelerating it. The MWI IUHSSC therefore may decline to collaborate in a project even though it supported it at the time of the application for funding.

To submit a research project, the researchers must go to the MWI IUHSSC Nagano platform *. 

• Only the principal investigators with researcher status or research privileges may conduct research projects in the Institution. To prevent a new submission from being taken over needlessly, the validity of such a status is necessary to be able to submit a research project.
• Since the majority of projects are evaluated by the entire Research Ethics Board, it is strongly recommended to submit the project by the submission deadline recorded in the calendar of the Research Ethics Board (insert link).
• If you are not certain of which subcommittee will take charge of the evaluation, do not hesitate to communicate with recherche.comtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca to discuss it with the coordinators.

*To access our Institution’s Nagano platform, you must be granted access, regardless of whether you have access at another institution. The application must be submitted to recherche.comtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca. You will be asked to complete a short questionnaire and provide certain basic information.

Before being authorized, any research project must be the target of an ethical and scientific evaluation by one of the subcommittees of the Research Ethics Board. Parallel to this, the project is also reviewed for its suitability by the institutional directorate to see whether the Institution accepts that it take place in its confines. If there is one, the contractual agreement must be signed before or at the same time as the letter of authorization. 

Ethical evaluation

This evaluation ensures that the research is conducted in accordance with ethical principles and that the research respects the dignity, welfare and rights of the participants. The project only has to be approved by one Research Ethics Board of the Health and Social Services Network (HSSN). Ethical approvals obtained from boards outside the HSSN (e.g. university, research centre, hospital of another province, etc.) are not recognized. 

Scientific evaluation

This evaluation concerns the scientific validity and the relevance of the research, the methodology and the recruitment of the research participants. 

All the REB decisions are communicated by letter. These decisions are the result of two evaluations, ethical and scientific.

Suitability review

This evaluation results from a consultation of the Institution's directorates, as well as the medical services and departments under their responsibility, which rule on the project’s relevance for the Institution and their ability to participate, if applicable. All the projects are reviewed for suitability, if they are limited to analyses or do not involve any resource of the Institution. If the project has previously received a letter of support, the suitability review essentially will involve a confirmation of support and will normally be accelerated. No letter is issued concerning the suitability review. The decision will be mentioned only in the final letter of authorization.

Contract review 

All the terms of the contractual agreements between the proponent, the researchers and the Institution must be reviewed by the administrators of the research centre and Legal Affairs to ensure their compliance and acceptability. The contract is reviewed at the same time as the other evaluations are done.

A letter of authorization, written according to the MSSS template and signed by the mandated person, is sent in Nagano by the RSFU to the principal investigator once the results of the evaluations are all obtained and positive. The research activities may begin upon receipt of this letter. If the Institution is a site participating in the project, a copy of the letter of authorization is sent to the evaluating Research Ethics Board (REB). 

The research projects are monitored by the Research Ethics Boards (REB). The renewal form and the amendment form must be completed and submitted via the forms to this effect available in Nagano, respectively F9 and F1.

Renewal

Ethical approval of all the research projects must be renewed each year. As applicable, the activities must be suspended and the participating directorates will be notified. Two reminder messages are sent to the principal investigator, who is responsible to seeing to the renewal of his or her projects. 

To renew a research project, you must complete and submit the form to this effect available in Nagano. The form must be submitted no later than two weeks before the expiry date of the ethical approval. 

Amendments

The Ethics Board must be informed of any change made to the project, whether addition of participants, a change of recruitment ad, etc. The amendment is generally reviewed by delegation, but could be on the agenda of the REB meeting, if necessary. 

To amend a project, you must complete and submit the form to this effect available in Nagano.

If the amendment affects the conditions of the Institution's participation (e.g. addition of a facility to the project), it must be submitted to the suitability reviewers and the authorization must be reconfirmed. The researcher will be notified, if applicable.

The principal investigator officially closes the project when it is completed, using the form to this effect available in Nagano.