About BHRI ERC

Bangladesh Health Research & Implementation Initiative Ethics Review Committee (BHRI ERC) is the independent ethics review committee of the Bangladesh Health Research & Implementation Initiative (BHRI). Established in 2026, the Committee provides independent ethical review and oversight of human participant research within its approved scope of review.

BHRI ERC is committed to safeguarding the rights, dignity, safety, and welfare of research participants while promoting ethical, scientifically sound, and socially responsible research conducted in accordance with internationally recognized ethical principles, Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP), and applicable ethical guidelines.

Mission

To ensure that human participant research is reviewed independently, transparently, and ethically while promoting responsible scientific inquiry and protecting research participants.

Vision

To become a trusted, transparent, and internationally recognized ethics review committee supporting high-quality health research in Bangladesh and comparable resource-limited settings.

Guiding Ethical Principles

✔ Respect for Persons 

✔ Beneficence and non-maleficence 

✔ Justice 

✔ Independence 

✔ Scientific & Ethical Integrity 

✔ Confidentiality 

✔ Community Respect & Human Rights

Scope of Review

The BHRI ERC shall review human participant research within its approved scope and mandate. The Committee primarily reviews research involving public health, epidemiology, implementation science, health systems, behavioral research, observational research, community-based research, and other forms of human participant research that fall within its expertise and operational capacity. 

Protocols involving increased complexity, specialized ethical considerations, vulnerable populations, investigational interventions, or other higher-risk elements may be subject to enhanced review procedures, additional safeguards, consultation with external experts, or referral for additional review as deemed appropriate by the Committee. 

The BHRI ERC reserves the right to determine whether a submitted protocol falls within its scope of review and whether additional expertise or review mechanisms are required.

Our Review Principles

BHRI ERC is committed to:

✔ Independence 

✔ Fairness 

✔ Transparency 

✔ Confidentiality 

✔ Timeliness 

✔ Scientific Rigor 

✔ Participant Protection

Governance Framework

BHRI ERC operates under a comprehensive governance system consisting of:

✔ Ethics Review Committee Charter 

✔ Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) 

✔ Policy Manual 

✔ Forms Manual 

✔ Templates Manual 

✔ Registers Manual 

✔ Controlled Document System

Ethics Standards

BHRI ERC conducts ethical review in accordance with nationally and internationally recognized ethical principles, including:

✔ Declaration of Helsinki 

✔ CIOMS International Ethical Guidelines 

✔ Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP), where applicable