Ethics Review Panel appoints new members

The RCVS Ethics Review Panel (ERP), which is now permanent following its initial trial period, has recently welcomed seven new members to the panel, bringing with them a wide range of expertise and knowledge in the veterinary field. The ERP originally ran as a trial from the end of July 2016 to gauge the interest amongst the veterinary and veterinary nursing professions for a free service providing ethical review for practice-based researchers, who may not ordinarily have access to such through university or industry connections. At its January 2019 meeting, RCVS Council unanimously approved the ERP as a permanent service provided by the RCVS in recognition of its value to the profession, demonstrated by the 89 applications it had received for review to date. Following the council’s approval, the ERP, which is chaired by veterinary ethicist Professor David Morton, decided to hire new members of the panel to cover the full range of areas of practice as well as to ensure lay and veterinary nurse input. The new members of the panel include: Mrs Helen Cartlidge RVN – Senior lecturer in Veterinary Sciences (Nursing) at Harper Adams University; current trustee of RCVS Knowledge. Mrs Juliet Duncan MRCVS - Lecturer in Veterinary Anaesthesia at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Edinburgh; Member of the Clinical Skills Committee and Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee; former Member of International ECVAA Working Party; Member of Animal Welfare, Ethics & Behaviour Committee. Dr Sally Everitt MRCVS – Practising small animal vet; chair of BVA Education, Funding and Widening Access Working Group; chair of Petsavers Project Board at BSAVA; chair of the Clinical Review Team (RCVS Knowledge InFocus); former head of scientific policy at BSAVA. Dr Stefano Guido MRCVS - Named Veterinary Surgeon at the Roslin Institute and the Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine (IGMM); member of the Animal Welfare Ethical Review Bodies (AWERB) at the University of Edinburgh; member of the Roslin Institute AWERB; member of the Veterinary Ethical Review Committee of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. Dr David Killick MRCVS – RCVS and European recognised specialist in oncology; senior lecturer in Small Animal Oncology at the University of Liverpool; chair of the Veterinary Research Ethics Committee; member of Central University Research Ethics Committee; chair of the ECVIM Education Committee; chair of PetSavers' Grant Awarding Committee. Dr Jessica Martin BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD, FHEA (lay member) - Lecturer in Animal Welfare and Statistics, Clinical Research Associate at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh; member of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute of Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body. Dr Nicola Menzies-Gow MRCVS – RCVS recognised specialist in Equine Internal Medicine; senior lecturer in Equine Medicine at RVC; chair of clinical research ethical review board (CRERB) at RVC; member of AWERB at RVC; The ERP trial originated from a joint working party established by the RCVS and the British Veterinary Association (BVA), which reported on ethical review of practice-based research in the UK. This working party indicated that a large and increasing amount of clinical research is being conducted by vets based in private practice and that, unlike those based in veterinary schools and institutes, private practitioners may not be so familiar with the regulations and best practice associated with research, particularly with reference to recognised veterinary practice and ethical review. It was therefore suggested that the RCVS should consider establishing a committee for ethical review of practice-based research. The trial was endorsed by the BVA, BSAVA and BVNA, the latter two offering to provide mentors to assist veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses respectively and to provide guidance on planning and structuring research projects. Kate Richards, chair of standards committee (to which the ERP reports), said: “I’m delighted to see so many new members on the Ethics Review Panel, from a wide variety of roles within the veterinary profession, as well as lay members. "I’m really excited about the positive impact the Panel will have on assisting those that would otherwise lack support, to make the best choices when it comes to their ethical research. We are pleased to be able to help practice-based researchers shape their initial ideas, and help them through to making their research project ethically sound, and are proud to be able to offer this service to those who otherwise may not have been able to access it. "We are confident that the ERP will impact the veterinary and veterinary nursing professions positively and contribute to the future developments of the profession on the whole.”