Ministerial Acts
The Qatar National Health Research Ethics Committee (QNHREC) was developed by a Ministerial Decree in 2011. The main functions of the committee are to:
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Assist the REC committee in making effective and informed decisions that promote its purpose and functions
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Act in good faith, with honesty and integrity, and not pursue personal or business interests at the expense of the QNHREC's interests
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Maintain confidentiality regarding information that would not otherwise be available to them, which includes not disclosing information to any person or acting on information unless they are authorized to do so by the Chair of the QNHREC
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Disclose to the QNHREC Chair any conflicts of interest they have or are likely to have, in the REC and disclose to the Chair any information they might obtain that could be considered material to the REC's business
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Attend and participate meaningfully in REC meetings. If a member is unable to attend a meeting, the member is expected to inform the Chair prior to meetings.
Appointment of Chair:
The Chair will be appointed by the Minister of Public Health and will serve as a permanent member of the QNHREC.
Role of the Chair:
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Chair QNHREC Committee meeting
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Work closely with members of the committee to manage the affairs of the QNHREC and effectively achieve its purpose and functions
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Act as the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health for all communications, media relations, and stakeholder relations.
QNHREC meeting procedures:
The REC can regulate its own meeting procedures.
QNHREC reporting and information requirements :
The QNHREC is required to provide a bi-yearly report to the Minister of Public Health. The format and timing of the report will be established in writing by the QNHREC Chair and is expected to include:
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Summary of the discussion of issues regarding the ethical conduct of research involving human subjects.
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The decisions and recommendations are taken by the QNHREC.
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Any issues, risks, or trends noted by the QNHREC in its work and recommendations on potential responses
The QNHREC is also required to provide any information requested in writing by the Chair.