Ethics Committee for scientific research “Learning Clubs” was established

In the morning of June 26, 2014, Ethics Committee for scientific research “Learning Clubs for women’s health and infant development in Ha Nam: a pilot test of comprehensibility, feasibility, acceptability and impact” was established at Vietnam Medical Association.

This is the scientific research of phase I, policy –oriented research in early intervention on the first 1,000 days for child’s development in Vietnam, developed by RTCCD and scientists from Monash University and University of Melbourne (Australia), funded by Grand Challenges Canada (10/2013-9/2015). The popular name of the project in community is “Learning Clubs for maternal health and child’s development”.

Prof. Dr. Pham Thi Minh Duc – Vice President of Vietnam Medical Association, cum Head of Science and Education Department – was the President of the Ethics Committee. The committee insists of the President and 10 members: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duc Hinh (Rector of Hanoi Medical University), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thi Huong (President of Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health), Prof. Dr. Le Gia Vinh (Vice President of Vietnam Medical Association), Assoc. Dr. Le Minh Huong (Vice Director of National Hospital of Pediatrics), Assoc. Dr. Luu Thi Hong (Director of Reproductive Health Department – Ministry

of Health), Dr. Nghiem Tran Dung (Director of Health Insurance Department of the MOH), Dr. Vu Thi Kim Hoa (Deputy Director of Child Care and Protection Department – Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs), Dr. Hoang Thi Bang (Coordinator of Maternal and Child Health Program – WHO Vietnam) and Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai (Head of Family and Society Unit – Vietnamese Women’s Union). 9 members of the committee attended the event. The other member (Vice Director of National Hospital of Pediatrics) was absent due to her overseas business trip.

Dr. Tran Tuan (Director of RTCCD and project leader) and Tran Thi Thu Ha, MPH (Project Assistant) provided the committee members with the introduction on project establishment basis, project model, the plan for first phase assessment of the model and the plan to ensure ethics research.  After that, the committee members commented on the project proposal.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duc Hinh (Rector of Hanoi Medical University) claimed that this is a humane project idea, which meets the demand of the community, possesses the sustainability and feasibility. He also agreed with 5 properly built modules, 9 appropriate topics for Vietnamese rural farmers and the learning clubs operated twice every month under the co-ordination of communal Women’s Union and Health Centre, which is very suitable for the rural farmers’ time and schedules. Dr. Hinh agreed that the project will not badly affect participants and the community in any way, and the project implementing agency already made the plan to minimize the sensitive problems that might have impacts on the participants (for example: family violence, abuse).

In the agreement with Dr. Hinh and other committee members, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai (Vietnamese Women’s Union) strongly agreed with the project content and the approach method because it is suitable with the wishes of the National and Ha Nam Provincial Women’s Union in maternal and child’s health care. The Vietnamese Women’s Union is looking for scientific evidences to develop policy for women in the rural area and the structured program to apply to the learning clubs of Women’s Union nationwide.

The committee members agreed that research ethics is clear with intervention groups, however, some said that there should be more clarification on the benefits of the control groups and support for women violence victims or the women find difficulty in child care in control communes during the baseline survey.

After working on the comments of the members, President of the Ethics Committee concluded all the opinions and asked for voting. 6/10 agreed that the project implementing agency provided proper information about ethics research, and the project did not need to be changed. According to the votes, President of the Ethics Committee announced the final result and approved the ethics application.