The 2020 Advancing Ethical Research Virtual Conference (AER20) is a conference hosted by Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R) which “works to ensure the highest ethical standards in research by providing education and other professional resources to the research and research oversight community.” The AER20 conference provides valuable networking opportunities for research institutions and regulatory administrators. Additionally, institutions present posters and informational sessions on topics related to research ethics to attendees.
This year, Teachers College Institutional Review Board (TC IRB) presented at AER20 on Fostering Ethical Research Compliance in International Settings. This poster presentation outlined the main research compliance challenges associated with conducting international research. Kailee Kodama Muscente, Ed.M. & Myra Luna Lucero, Ed.D. identified challenges in four main areas of research compliance:
- Knowledge of research sites, contexts, communities, and culture
- Compliance with Federal Wide Assurances (FWA) and local IRB review requirements
- Intercultural communication and informed consent
- Limited technological resources, access, and opportunities
The program also covered the College’s response to those four challenges, which included the design and implementation of the International Research Initiative. The presentation also described the College’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in adaptations to the International Research Initiatives, and deliverables available to the public.
The presentation poster and deliverables mentioned in the program can be downloaded from TC's Documents for AER20 page. The complete transcript, AER20 Transcript, is also available for download.
Teachers College is a leader in numerous fields of research and supports the rights and welfare of human subjects in all areas of research. TC IRB will continue to engage in programs and conferences in order to promote the status of research at TC.