Brief

Web-based international, multilanguage course is now available for human-subject protections training

An international human-subject protections training platform can now be accessed in three different languages online. The Collaborative IRB Training Initiative (CITI) International training platform is designed to assist domestic and international research investigators, staff members and IRB/Ethics Committee members who may not use English as their first language. The course covers the history, ethical principles, regulations and informed consent issues guiding U.S. federally funded human-subjects research through the following five training modules:

1. History and ethical principle
2. Basic Institutional Review Board (IRB) regulations and review process
3. Informed consent
4. International studies (resource information/country specific information)
5. Course documents (ethical-guidance documents and links to research compliance information)

The first three modules are each followed by a quiz and are available for reading in English, simplified Chinese and Spanish. Links within the text to additional resources or information are available in English only. Modules 4 and 5 are available in English with some, but not all, of the content translated into simplified Chinese and Spanish. Trainees are free to transition from English to other languages while taking the course. More languages will be added as translations are completed.

"With increasing global research activity, it is our hope that the training platform resource will promote understanding of both domestic and international ethical issues and regulatory requirements," said Karen Hansen, director of The Center's Institutional Review Office.

Upon course completion, trainees will receive a certificate from CITI International that can be downloaded and routed to relevant IRB education coordinators of funding agencies requiring documentation.

A National Institutes of Health (NIH) enhancement grant awarded to the Hutchinson Center funded the Chinese translations and development of the Web-based international language platform. The Spanish translations were funded by a NIH grant awarded to the University of Miami. To register for access to the CITI International training platform, go to www.irbtraining.org. When enhancement grant funding ends in 2005, the CITI Working Group and Program, administered through the University of Miami, will provide sustaining support and updates to the CITI International platform.

If you have questions, comments or suggestions about this new initiative, contact Karen Hansen at khansen@fhcrc.org.

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