The Office for Responsible Research (OIR) was created in response to the growing regulations that regulate the development of experimental procedures. The objective is twofold: to offer guarantees that the research activity is carried out in an appropriate ethical, safe and legal framework and to improve the quality of the science carried out at the UMH. All this collaborating in a comprehensive and permanent way with researchers.

The Office provides administrative support to the Project Evaluation Body. For its creation, the Anglo-Saxon model of Research Compliance Office (present in many American universities, among which Harvard, Stanford or Boston stands out) has been taken as a reference.

Finally, and in line with current legal requirements, the Office for Responsible Research ensures that researchers have access to the training necessary to comply with legal requirements and for adequate professional development within an increasingly complex ethical and legal framework.

The regulations contained in different calls for research funding require that projects that involve research in humans or animals, use of biological samples of human origin, biological agents, or use genetically modified organisms, not only meet the requirements established in each case by legislation, but also that they have the express authorization issued by an accredited Ethics Committee.

The Miguel Hernández de Elche University (UMH), as a public research body, aware of its duty and responsibility before society, constituted in 2007 the Ethics Commission in Experimental Research (CEIE) to provide in an agile and effective way responses to the needs current.

By virtue of the Agreement of the Plenary of the Council of Universities, in the session held on September 22, 2011, which establishes guidelines for the adaptation of the legislation on the prevention of occupational risks to the university, for the promotion and extension of the preventive culture to the university community, All research projects require, for their approval and endowment, to list in their presentation report the identification of health and safety hazards, the management of the hazardous waste generated, and the existing and proposed preventive measures for their control, putting the means of collective protection to the individual.

On February 8, 2013, the Official State Gazette published the
 Royal Decree 53/2013, of February 1, which establishes the basic rules applicable to the protection of animals used in experimentation and other scientific purposes, including teaching. This new Royal Decree on experimentation directly affects the way the CEIE operates since, due to it, the ethics committees of the different institutions lose the competence to ethically evaluate and approve research projects with animals. The powers to evaluate projects are assumed, since August 2013, by the Authorized Bodies for the Evaluation of Projects, which are bodies that depend directly on the competent authority.

In September 2013, the CEIE was accredited as an Authorized Body for the Evaluation of Projects that involve the use of animals, dependent on the Ministry of the Presidency and Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Water.

On November 6, 2013, the CEIE was dissolved and the Project Evaluation Body (OEP) was established. The OEP is an advisory and advisory body to which corresponds:

a) Evaluate the ethical problems that arise in the development of the research projects that are carried out.

b) Evaluate, advise and minimize the risks inherent in research projects for humans, animals or the environment.

c) Ensure the observance and compliance with the precepts included in the Code of Good Scientific Practices (CBPC ) .

d) To act as an arbitration body in the face of uncertainties or conflicts that may arise in relation to the integrity of the investigation -in this sense, decisions are binding on anyone who submits their conflicts to the OEP-.

e) Inform and sensitize the scientific community of the UMH in relation to the events, needs and orientations related to the ethical and deontological aspects of biomedical research.

f) Remain attentive and receptive to new problems related to the integrity of the investigation as well as update the contents of the CBPC.

All research projects carried out at the UMH will be the object of a safety assessment, highlighting the projects in which genetically modified organisms (microorganisms, plants or animals) as well as pathogenic biological agents are used, taking into account In all this, the risk and / or the effect that these investigations may have on life and the environment.

The OEP has its own Operating Regulations , approved by the Governing Council, meeting in session of October 30, 2013.

Contact information:

Office of Responsible Research
Vice-Rector’s Office for Research and Innovation
Miguel Hernández University of Elche
Avda. of the University s / n
03202 Elche. Alicante
Telf: 2687/965222687
E-mail:
@organoevaluator

Link to the Responsible Research Office page: https://oir.umh.es/