RAIPUR: It is the ultimate duty of the Ethical Committee to protect the rights of the persons or patients involved in medical research, said expert Dr Durga Gadgil and Dr Medha Joshi.

Both experts from Tata Memorial Center Bombay were addressing the a one-day workshop on ‘Essentials of Ethics in Medical Research’ organized by the Ethical Committee of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Hospital in the Telemedicine Hall, here

They said under the ethical principles of medical research, it is necessary for a research doctor to protect patients' interests, autonomy, benefits and justice as well as their rights.

Ethical committee members should consider national legislation, regulatory norms and standards for research as well as international norms and standards when reviewing research protocols, they added.

Dr. Jaya Lalwani, Secretary of the Ethics Committee and Professor of the Department of Anaesthesia in the Medical College, said that documentation is important during research. Participants have the right to ask research based questions. It is necessary to obtain written consent from them while participating in the research study. Even if for some reason they disagree, it should be respected.

Dr. Usha Joshi gave information about the analysis of the proposal placed before the Ethical Committee.

Dr. Snigdha Jain gave a lecture about the institutional standard operating procedure of the Ethical Committee.

Dean of Medical College Bilaspur, Dr. K.K. Of. Sahare, Dean of Ambikapur Medical College, Dr. Ramnesh Murthy and Deans of other medical colleges participated.