Ethics National Judging Advisory Committee. Youth Science Canada Sciences jeunesse Canada 2 YSF Ethics: Developing Awareness, Understanding and Compliance.

EthicsEthicsNational Judging Advisory CommitteeNational Judging Advisory Committee

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Youth Science CanadaSciences jeunesse Canada

YSF Ethics:YSF Ethics:

Developing Awareness, Developing Awareness,

Understanding Understanding

and Complianceand Compliance Judith Soon & Patrick WhippeyJudith Soon & Patrick Whippey

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Youth Science CanadaSciences jeunesse Canada“We are discussing no small matter,

but how we ought to live”. Socrates

“Knowledge without conscience spells but the destruction of the soul”. Francois Rabelais

“Business in Canada must have a

conscience and ethics”. Lt.-Gen. Roméo Dallaire

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GoalsGoals

• To present the information that Regional Science Fair To present the information that Regional Science Fair

CommitteesCommittees need need to understandto understand the ethical issues the ethical issues

• To define clearlyTo define clearly the rules that participants must follow the rules that participants must follow

• To make it easyTo make it easy for participants to follow for participants to follow the rulesthe rules

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BackgroundBackground

• Regional Science Fairs (RSF) need to ensure that Regional Science Fairs (RSF) need to ensure that

projects comply with YSF rules and regulationsprojects comply with YSF rules and regulations

• Need to get out of the mode of Need to get out of the mode of “Backwards “Backwards

Compliance”Compliance” and surprises at the CWSFs and surprises at the CWSFs

• Help us encourage Canada’s young scientists to conduct Help us encourage Canada’s young scientists to conduct

ethical and sound researchethical and sound research

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National Judging Advisory National Judging Advisory

CommitteeCommittee

The National Judging Advisory Committee The National Judging Advisory Committee

(NJAC) (NJAC) monitors monitors YSF Canada policies and YSF Canada policies and

procedures relating to all aspects of judging procedures relating to all aspects of judging

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YSF Canada Ethics YSF Canada Ethics

CommitteeCommittee

• RResponsible for the oversight of human and esponsible for the oversight of human and

animal research at RSF and CWSF animal research at RSF and CWSF

• Reviews challenging projects submitted by RSF Reviews challenging projects submitted by RSF

Ethics Committees Ethics Committees

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Ethics: What Types of Research?Ethics: What Types of Research?

Human ResearchHuman Research

• Ingestion and absorptionIngestion and absorption

• Psychological riskPsychological risk

• Physical activitiesPhysical activities

Animal ResearchAnimal Research

• Inhumane treatmentInhumane treatment

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Regional Science Fair Regional Science Fair

Ethics CommitteeEthics Committee

Each region is Each region is expectedexpected to set up to set up an Ethics an Ethics

Committee which will become knowledgeable Committee which will become knowledgeable

about the rules and ethical issues related to student about the rules and ethical issues related to student

research research

We propose to change this to required

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Ethics Review CommitteeEthics Review Committee

• A group of adults knowledgeable about regulations A group of adults knowledgeable about regulations

concerning experimentation in restricted areasconcerning experimentation in restricted areas

• Role is to educate and supportRole is to educate and support

• Members (1-3 people):Members (1-3 people):

• Ethics Consultant Ethics Consultant

• VeterinarianVeterinarian

• Health care professionalHealth care professional

• RSF Chief JudgeRSF Chief Judge

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Ethics Review ProcessEthics Review Process

* All animal research* All animal research

* All human research* All human research

Research proposals must be reviewed by the RSF Research proposals must be reviewed by the RSF

Ethics CommitteeEthics Committee

An Adult and Scientific Supervisor are requiredAn Adult and Scientific Supervisor are required

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Adult SupervisorAdult Supervisor

• Required for projects involving human and animal Required for projects involving human and animal

researchresearch

• Parent, teacher or scientistParent, teacher or scientist

• Ensures student understands ethical issues at an Ensures student understands ethical issues at an

appropriate levelappropriate level

• Ensures YSF rules are followedEnsures YSF rules are followed

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Scientific SupervisorScientific Supervisor

• Involved if there is Involved if there is more than trivial riskmore than trivial risk

• Often located in University or industrial Often located in University or industrial

laboratory settinglaboratory setting

• Usually has professional qualificationsUsually has professional qualifications

• May be the Adult SupervisorMay be the Adult Supervisor

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Ethics Review ProcessEthics Review Process

• Can use primarily email and phone discussionsCan use primarily email and phone discussions

• Communicate Ethics Rules and expectations to Communicate Ethics Rules and expectations to

teachers, students and parentsteachers, students and parents

• Be prepared to enforce the rulesBe prepared to enforce the rules

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Challenging IssuesChallenging Issues

RSF Chief Judge refers to YSF Ethics CommitteeRSF Chief Judge refers to YSF Ethics Committee

• Chair, Dr. Patrick Whippey Chair, Dr. Patrick Whippey

• After seeking appropriate professional advice, the Committee After seeking appropriate professional advice, the Committee

will will assist studentsassist students where possible so that the methodology can where possible so that the methodology can

meet the ethical rules for animal or human research meet the ethical rules for animal or human research

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Human Participation Human Participation

Low Risk ProjectsLow Risk Projects

• Surveys of Surveys of attitudes and beliefsattitudes and beliefs

• Skill testsSkill tests

• Observations of behaviour Observations of behaviour

• 4.1A 4.1A Approval of Low Risk ProjectsApproval of Low Risk Projects

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One Minute MomentOne Minute Moment

Examples of a Examples of a low risklow risk survey? survey?

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Human Participation Human Participation

High Risk ProjectsHigh Risk Projects

Everything ElseEverything Else

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High Risk ProjectsHigh Risk Projects

• Approval required before experiments beginApproval required before experiments begin

• Projects often done in a research laboratoryProjects often done in a research laboratory

• Reviewed by RSF Ethics CommitteeReviewed by RSF Ethics Committee

• 4.1B Application For Review of Research with 4.1B Application For Review of Research with

Human Participants Involving Significant RiskHuman Participants Involving Significant Risk

• 4.1C Human & Animal Research Approval4.1C Human & Animal Research Approval

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One Minute MomentOne Minute Moment

Examples of surveys with Examples of surveys with significant risk?significant risk?

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Informed ConsentInformed Consent• Is a processIs a process• Ethics committee in placeEthics committee in place• Points student & supporting adults to ethics web sitePoints student & supporting adults to ethics web site• Reviews the Informed Consent FormReviews the Informed Consent Form• Ensures the required elements are present.Ensures the required elements are present.• Monitors compliance by the student & participantsMonitors compliance by the student & participants

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Informed Consent FormInformed Consent Form

Low & High Risk projects Low & High Risk projects

• The right to be The right to be informedinformed of risks of risks

• The right to remain The right to remain anonymousanonymous

• The right to The right to withdrawwithdraw::• at any time at any time

• for any reasonfor any reason

• The right to be The right to be informedinformed of the results of the results

• Informed Consent FormInformed Consent Form

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What is a Drug?What is a Drug?

Health Canada definition:Health Canada definition:

““Drug"Drug" includes any substance or mixture of substances manufactured, sold, or includes any substance or mixture of substances manufactured, sold, or

represented for use in:represented for use in:

(a) the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of a (a) the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of a

disease, disorder, abnormal physical state, or its disease, disorder, abnormal physical state, or its

symptoms, in humans or animals;symptoms, in humans or animals;

(b) Restoring, correcting, or modifying organic functions (b) Restoring, correcting, or modifying organic functions

in human beings or animals; in human beings or animals;

(c) Disinfection in premises food is manufactured, (c) Disinfection in premises food is manufactured,

prepared or kept. prepared or kept.

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Questions to ask of Projects Questions to ask of Projects with Human Participation with Human Participation

1. Is the project high or low risk?2. Is there supervision by an appropriate scientific

advisor?3. Is the student familiar with the ethics web site(s).4. Does the informed consent form have all the

required elements?5. Is the student familiar with the definition of a drug?6. Is a drug involved?

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Non-Vertebrate AnimalsNon-Vertebrate AnimalsExceptExcept Cephalopods Cephalopods

AllowedAllowed


Vertebrate Animals, Vertebrate Animals, (fishes, amphibians, birds, reptiles, mammals) (fishes, amphibians, birds, reptiles, mammals)

CephalopodsCephalopods(Octopus, Squid, Cuttle Fish)(Octopus, Squid, Cuttle Fish)

Allowed only under Allowed only under fourfour conditions conditions

• Observation onlyObservation only

• Behavioural experiments Behavioural experiments

• Projects conducted in a registered laboratory Projects conducted in a registered laboratory

• Studies of embryos Studies of embryos

• 4.1C Human & Animal Research Approval4.1C Human & Animal Research Approval

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Questions to ask if Questions to ask if Animals are involvedAnimals are involved

• Is the animal governed by the rules for vertebrates or invertebrates?

• Is there supervision by an appropriate scientific advisor?

• Is the student familiar with the ethics web site(s)?• Invertebrates – any scientifically legitimate project

is allowed.• Vertebrates – is it one of the four types of projects

allowed?

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Off-Side ProjectsOff-Side Projects

Please do not send projects that are in Please do not send projects that are in violationviolation of of the Ethics Rules to the CWSF, the Ethics Rules to the CWSF,

no matter how meritoriousno matter how meritorious

We get two or three a year that are in clear violation

We are raising the bar

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ResourcesResources

YSF Web Site Devoted to Ethics - YSF Web Site Devoted to Ethics - New:New:

• http://http://www.ldstf.cawww.ldstf.ca/ethics//ethics/

YSF Policy Manual – the Official Rules:YSF Policy Manual – the Official Rules:

• http://http://www.ysf.ca/Members/policydirectory.aspxwww.ysf.ca/Members/policydirectory.aspx

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SummarySummary

• Adopt the YSF Ethics Rules for your Regional Science FairAdopt the YSF Ethics Rules for your Regional Science Fair

• Form a Regional Science Fair Ethics CommitteeForm a Regional Science Fair Ethics Committee

• Developing awareness and understanding of the ethical Developing awareness and understanding of the ethical

issues involved with Science Fairs will empower Canada’s issues involved with Science Fairs will empower Canada’s

young scientists to conduct ethical and sound researchyoung scientists to conduct ethical and sound research

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Questions?Questions?

Ethics National Judging Advisory Committee. Youth Science Canada Sciences jeunesse Canada 2 YSF Ethics: Developing Awareness, Understanding and Compliance.

Documents

ysf ethics

ethics review committee

rsf ethics committees

sound research slide

ysf rules

aspects of judging slide

student research

types of research