The Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB), together with Forum for Ethical Review Committees in the Asian and Western Pacific Region (FERCAP), held an Advance Training for Surveyors and Accreditors on ethical review practices from January 30 to February 8, 2012. The primary objective of the training was to promote good ethical review practices in health research in the Asia and Pacific region by implementing international criteria for surveying and evaluating ethical review practices.

Scope of the training included the following areas: (a) training and certification of in-country surveyors of ethical review practices; (b) translation and in-country adaptation of the Surveying and Evaluating Ethical Review Practices guideline; (c) development of in-country and regional standards for recognition of ethical review committees; and (d) development of international human subject protection standards.

In the workshop, the participants were divided into working groups, each group with one facilitator. Working groups carried out an evaluation of the ethics committees of research institutions. The last days of the training were devoted to site visits: February 1-3 at the Philippine Heart Center and February 6-8 at the Medical City.

Members and affiliates of Asian and Western Pacific Ethics Committee participated in the training. Lead surveyors and coordinators were Dr. Cristina E. Torres (FERCAP), Dr. Cecilia Tomas (PHREB), Ms. Julia Lu, Dr. Marita Reyes, Dr. Salome Vios, and Asst. Prof. Edlyn Jimenez.