COVID-19 Resource Hub

WHRI
Dear WHRI community,

As the COVID-19 pandemic has pervaded much of our daily lives and conversations, and as we are adjusting to a new normal of social distancing and working remotely, communication is critically important and the WHRI is being called upon even more as a virtual organization.

In the absence of in-person contact, we have created this page to house, up-to-date researcher resources related to COVID-19. This includes timely announcements, links to academic and health authority partners, funding agency updates, and archives of our weekly WHRI staff + member updates.

Thank you for continuing to do your part to #FlattenTheCurve.

Sincerely,

Lori Brotto
Executive Director, Women’s Health Research Institute

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OAK STREET CAMPUS STAGE 2 RESUMPTION OF ONSITE RESEARCH

The intake process to resume onsite work has been streamlined in Stage 2. In this stage, assuming the activities fit within the Stage 2 criteria and cannot be done offsite, PIs will determine the scope of their research activities and who on their team should resume onsite work.

If you applied to resume onsite work during Stage 1, you do not need to apply again. Please email Todd Jacques at tjacques@bcchr.ca with any updates to your onsite personnel and research team safety plans.

If your team includes any new personnel or existing personnel who require training on new tasks, you are also required to create a written training plan for these staff. This could include detailing whether training will happen virtually or in person and the types of PPE that will be used to protect all those taking part.

For new research activities, please submit a request through the Oak Street Campus Research Institutes Return to Onsite Research Intake Form.

To those who returned onsite as part of Stage 1, thank you. Your support and careful compliance with safety protocols enabled a safe and successful resumption of on-campus research activities.

To those who return as part of Stage 2, we look forward to welcoming you back.

If you have any questions, please email KDewar@cw.bc.ca

The UBC Children’s & Women’s REB related COVID documents are now on the website: UBC Children’s and Women’s Research Ethics Board (phsa.ca)

The first drop down menu on our homepage contains the initial REB bulletin, guidance for electronic consenting, zoom guidance from UBC and, a document that will hopefully guide everyone during the curtailment period.  

If you have feedback on these resources or would like to have anything added, please contact Jennie Prasad, Manager, UBC/C&W Research Ethics Board, at jprasad@bcchr.ubc.ca.

REMINDER: Rapid Ethical Review Process for COVID-19 Clinical Research

All COVID-19 related studies are being reviewed by the Research Ethics Board within 5 business days and this review will provide approval on behalf of all affected Health Authorities and, where relevant, BC Children’s and Women’s Hospitals.

More information on the rapid ethical review process can be found here.

Research Ethics BC, together with the respective Health Authorities and their clinical Research Ethics Boards (REBs), has launched a new rapid ethical review process for provincial clinical research pertaining to COVID-19. Under this new process, only one REB review will be required for the approval of a provincial clinical study pertaining to COVID-19 and the review will be conducted within five business days from submission. 

What does this mean for researchers?

If your research proposal is for a clinical COVID-19 related stat is intended to take place across some or all Health Authorities, the REB will review the study within five days and provide ethics approval on behalf of all affected Health Authorities and, where relevant, BC Children’s and Women’s Hospitals.

If your proposal iy not  initially intended to take place at multiple provincial sites, a review by one REB will still occur within five days. Other locations may be added later if the study becomes feasible at additional sites.

More information on the rapid ethical review process can be found here.

The BC Children’s Hospital BioBank plans to start collecting leftover and prospective samples from patients and staff tested at the PHSA COVID-19 Outpatient Clinic in the near future. If you or someone you know in the research community are interested in using these samples or collaborating with the BioBank, please contact the BCCH BioBank ​at biobank@cw.bc.ca

Rounds + Resources

UBC Continuing Professional Development has created a COVID-19 Resource Hub: https://ubccpd.ca/COVID19/resources

The following guidance is offered by UBC’s Clinical REB; The Children’s & Women’s REB and the Providence Health Care REB to researchers who are continuing, resuming, or starting research involving human participant interaction in accordance with their respective institutional directives.

The document can be found here.

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