Health research has been widely accepted as vital in the endeavour of maximizing health and wellbeing. In doing so, ethical considerations are paramount requiring researchers to conduct research ethically.

Ethics originated from the Greek words ethos (habit) and ethikos (character). Ethics is associated with the right conduct. Ethics involves reflecting and reasoning on what is the right thing to do. Ethics simply means “right, fair and just”.

Research ethics requires researchers to think of the ethical conduct or the right conduct that will guide research. How will the researcher’s ethical conduct guide the formation of a research topic question(s), the research methodology and research method? What responsibilities do researchers have towards the research participants? What about their voluntary informed consent? Will the research bring benefits or risks to research stakeholders? The principles of “respect”, “beneficence”, “do no harm” and “justice” must be strictly adhered to.

Ethical consideration of research is usually ignored or expressed as an afterthought in the discussions of research project plans. However, research methodologies and findings are to achieve and maintain a standard of excellence, trustworthiness and validity. These are all ethical values that all research projects need to maintain.

Research ethics is a critical part of the conceptualization of the research ideas through to the end where the findings will be published. Research, like daily life challenges, may produce ethical dilemmas where agreement on what is right or wrong will be impossible. In such cases, it is important that all involved in the research project and its ethical review, maintain a high level of research ethics awareness which will in turn influence their decision making on how the research project should be designed, implemented, and results disseminated.

>> Please Click Here to view the latest version of the SOP for the FNU Human Health Research Ethics Committee (FNU HHREC). (It is currently being reviewed, October 2024, and will upload the revised version as soon as possible.)

FNU Human Health Research Committee (FNU HHREC) SOP Accreditation Certificate Click Here

For more information contact: cmnhs-rco@fnu.ac.fj | fijihumanhealthresearch@gmail.com