The UWI Ethics Committee is an independent body based in the Faculty of Medical Sciences consisiting of medical and non-medical members, whose responsibility is to protect the safety and integrity of research in which human subjects are involved. The Committee considers the suitability of the methods and procedures used, and the issues related to the informed consent of subjects. The UWI Ethics Committee seeks to ensure that quality assurance in research is maintained in the University.
- Review prospectively all research protocols involving human subjects proposed within the University Hospital and the Faculty of Medical Sciences, or by staff members of the FMS and UHWI, to ensure that they meet the required ethical and scientific standards.
- Monitor at least quarterly, those approved research projects that carry possitlbe and significant risk of harm to research subjects, with the committee being empowered to disallow unacceptable research to go forward.
- Ensure the humane treatment of animals being used experimentally for research and teaching in accordance with the laws of Jamaica.
- Examine and make recommendations on ethical problems related to the conduct of members of the medical staff of the University Hospital and the academic, administrative and other staff members of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Mona.
- Assist hospital and medical staff in developing policies and guidelines regarding ethical issues, questions, or problems arising in the care of patients.
- Provide analysis, where requested, of the ethical aspects of existing or proposed policy for the Faculty of Medical Sciences or the University Hospital of the West Indies.
- Assist in the development of new institutional policies in areas of need.
- Invite staff or patients at the University Hospital to bring forward for discussion matters deemed of ethical importance.
- Provide a forum for analysis of ethical questions that arise in the care of individual patients.
- Review cases where decisions involve significant ethical ambiguity and perplexity.
- Review cases where decisions involve disagreement between health care personnel, or between such personnel and patients/families regarding the ethical aspects of a patient's care.
