Research ethics committees of Federal Institutes: A preliminary study

Abstract

The principle of the inseparability between teaching, research, and extension was established for universities in the 1988 Constitution and later extended to Federal Institutes through their founding legislation. Pacheco (2015) emphasizes the significance of research in achieving the objectives for which the Federal Institutes of Education, Science, and Technology were created, with research being intrinsically linked to teaching and extension activities. When research involves human subjects, the ethical review of such research is crucial to safeguarding the rights of individuals, particularly those in vulnerable situations, as emphasized by Kottow (2008). This study aims to succinctly demonstrate the necessity of ethical evaluation in research and to discuss some of the reasons behind the existence of regulatory frameworks, drawing upon historical, bibliographical, and documentary analysis. An overview will be provided regarding the ethical validation processes of research projects within the Federal Institutes, with a particular focus on those operating outside the CEP/CONEP system. The importance of establishing institutional ethics committees in research-active institutions will be highlighted. The ethical principles discussed align with those outlined by Kottow, Alves, Teixeira, and Lopes. The findings indicate that, of the 38 existing Federal Institutes, 27 have Research Ethics Committees accredited by the CEP/CONEP system. Among the remaining institutes, three have committees dedicated to ethical analysis of research conducted outside the CEP/CONEP system. Five are in the process of establishing such committees at various stages, while the remaining three institutions do not provide information on their websites regarding the establishment of ethics committees. These institutes recommend that researchers comply with CNS Resolution 196/96 and, when necessary, submit their protocols directly to CONEP for review.