Scientific Ethics Committee
Review of Unregulated Research
In October of 2012, the Vice Chancellor for Research issued a memo to establish the Scientific Ethics Committee (SEC).
The Committee’s basic purpose is to review protocols and proposals for all research projects which are not categorized to fall under the jurisdiction of other Federal and State regulatory policies and related agency reviews, including COMIRB and the IBC such as fetal tissue, cord blood, and embryonic stem cells.
The Committee's role is to ensure that all research conducted at the University of Colorado’s downtown Denver and Anschutz Medical campuses follows ethical standards and safety requirements expected by contemporary society.
No project requiring SEC review, according to University policy, may proceed until approval of the SEC is obtained.
How the Committee Works:
More specific goals of the Committee can be read in the memo at the link above. Members of the Scientific Ethics Committee are appointed by the Associate Vice Chancellor for Regulatory Compliance from variously qualified University faculty and staff, retirees, or others affiliated with the University. The SEC is set up to meet on an ad hoc basis, convened when submission of a research proposal is referred to the Research Integrity Officer (RIO). The SEC’s members vary depending on the nature of the project under review and the expertise that is needed.
- Principal Investigators are required to submit documents and information as required by the applicable policy and as requested by the SEC or by the University’s Research Integrity Officer.
- After review, the SEC provides the RIO with a feedback letter indicating approval for or objection to the proposed research.
- The PI is then informed and proceeds to either submit the approved proposal to the funding agency, or, if there are concerns raised by the SEC, the project may be discarded or protocol resubmitted with appropriate revisions.
