MUT- Institutional Scientific and Ethics Review Committee (ISERC)

Murang’a University of Technology Institutional Scientific and Ethical Review Committee (MUT-ISERC)

In line with the Belmont Report of 1979 that provides basic ethical principles and guidelines to be used in resolving ethical challenges that surround the conduct of research with human subjects, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) published “Proposed International Guidelines for Biomedical Research Involving Human Subjects” in 1982.

Several revisions to these declarations have been made along the years with the aim of ensuring research bio-ethical compliance enabling the maintenance of responsible conduct and practices in research undertakings that will not impart serious harm, hurt injury directly to humans. But that is not all. Every research activity that may also indirectly pose a threat or affect humans are also considered. With this in mind, newer versions and revisions of research conductance guidelines have incorporated and accommodated practices of research that produce create and design innovative components that may pose a threat to human livelihood through potential usage risk and harm. For this reason, ethical assessment will also gauge research that evaluates innovative products, devices, application software and programs running in devices and prototype models equipment.

Review of proposed research work is examined for compliance to ethical standards for both low-risk and high-risk research practices collectively categorized into non-intrusive (those that apply mathematical modeling from archived or secondary data sources obtained on humans) and intrusive (those directly obtained from study subjects/objects both animate and inanimate). In Kenya, the mandate of ethical practice maintenance and adherence in research activity is enforced through the institutionally empowered Institutional Ethical research committee‟s (ISERC‟s). These committees are accredited, regulated and licensed by the National Bioethical Committee (NBC), an arm of the Kenya National Commission of Science Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI).

CORE MANDATE OF MUT ISERC

MUT-ISERC is committed to undertake the following and not limited to;

1. Review and clear proposed research before its
2. Provide independent, competent, and timely review of the ethics of proposed In its procedures and decision-making, MUT-ISERC will be independent from political, institutional, professional, and market influences.
3. Undertake review of the ethical elements and ensure adherence of the same in the process of data collection, data processing and data dissemination.
4. Review prospective and continuing research protocols so as to safeguard the dignity, rights, safety, and well-being of all actual or potential participants in This is in cognizance of the fact that the goals of research should never be permitted to override the health, wellbeing, and care of the research subjects/participants.
5. Take into consideration the principle of This requires that the benefits and burdens of research be distributed fairly among all groups and classes in society, taking into account age, gender, economic status, cultural, political, religious, ideological, race and ethnic considerations.
6. Review the adequacy of the informed consent document, particularly as to its description of the risks and benefits.
7. Ensure that there is regular evaluation of the ethics of ongoing studies that received a positive decision.
8. Evaluate submitted protocols/proposals for unanticipated problems, possible noncompliance, and other information and incidents that might affect approval of protocol or the subjects’ willingness to continue to participate.
9. Act in the interest of potential research participants and concerned communities, taking into account the interests and needs of the researchers, and having due regard for the requirements of relevant regulatory agencies and applicable