Interpretation Policy Initiatives

Effective use of research ethics norms depends partly on how they are understood and applied in various research contexts. To respond to questions, ambiguities, and interpretation challenges raised by the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS), the Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics (PRE) is mandated by the CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC to provide interpretive guidance for users of the TCPS.

PRE addresses legitimate TCPS interpretation issues that have broad, national application, or ones that present challenges at the institutional level. PRE does not function as an appeal body for decisions by institutional research ethics boards (REBs). Rather, in responding to questions on the TCPS, PRE seeks to support the needs of participants, researchers, and REBs. PRE's interpretation responsibilities complement, and make more effective, its role in implementation and evolution of the TCPS.

PRE Task Group on Interpretation

To advance policy initiatives regarding the interpretation and understanding of the TCPS, PRE has created a Task Group on Interpretation. Its projects are noted below. Staff from the Secretariat on Research Ethics support the task group.

Secretariat contact:
Hanan Abdel-Akher
Policy Analyst
(613) 996.2564
Hanan.Abdel-Akher@pre.ethics.gc.ca

Projects

• Develop and standardize PRE's interpretation process: Do you have an interpretation question regarding the TCPS?
• Liaise with the research community on TCPS interpretation issues
• Analyze, report on, and make recommendations on interpretation issues and trends
• Monitor the quality of PRE's responses to interpretation questions: TCPS interpretation feedback questionnaire.
• Develop a compendium of interpretation questions: PRE Interpretations of the TCPS.