San Diego Research Ethics Consortium
Education Requirements

Education and Training:
Requirements | Options
Institutions
History
Resources
Home


Update: August 15, 2009

Background

Based on guidelines from the National Academy of Sciences, regulations from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and guidelines of the participating institutions of the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, the institutional Stem Cell Research Oversight Committees are charged with overseeing a requirement for ethics training.

The focus of this requirement is on the researchers, not on the protocols submitted for review. Protocols can be approved, but the only individuals authorized to work on those protocols are those who have an active certification or an exemption for ethics training. Also, although training requirements are met by individuals, the purpose of the requirement is to foster a community environment in which the ethical, legal, and social dimensions of human embryonic stem cell research are widely discussed and understood.

Requirement

Effective December 15, 2007, the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, the Salk Institute, The Scripps Research Institute, and UC San Diego jointly adopted the following training requirements. Individuals or research groups can contact the San Diego Research Ethics Consortium about options available for meeting these requirements:
  1. Initial Training Requirement
    Each individual conducting embryonic stem cell research is required to complete an initial training requirement. Completion of this requirement certifies the individual to conduct embryonic stem cell research for one year.
  2. First Year Continuing Education Requirement
    Each individual conducting human embryonic stem cell research is required to have completed an additional four hours of stem cell ethics training within the previous two years*  to be certified for a second year.
  3. Subsequent Year Continuing Education Requirement
    Each individual conducting human embryonic stem cell research is required to complete an additional two hours of stem cell or research ethics training within the previous two years*  to be certified for subsequent years.
  4. Exemptions
    All researchers are encouraged to take advantage of ongoing opportunities for education and discussion about the ethical dimensions of human embryonic stem cell research. However, individuals who will have research responsibilities that raise only minimal ethical concerns may petition their institution’s ESCRO or SCRO Committee to be exempted from the continuing education requirements or to have the requirement reduced.

  5. Special Requirements
    Because particular projects or individual situations may raise unusual ethical or regulatory concerns, ESCRO or SCRO Committees or the SDREC may on rare occasions require and/or provide additional training.

* Two Years
Continuing ethics education requirements can be met by completing approved hours of ethics training any time after two years before the date of expiration for the current period of certification.
(858) 822-2647 | FAX: (858) 822-5765 | E-mail