A two-day workshop for Applied Ethics in Research was held on June 18-19, 2014 at the Playa Tropical, Currimao, Ilocos Norte. The twenty-three participants, who attended the workshop, are mostly Medical Practitioners and members of the Ethics Review Committee from R1Medical Center, ITRMC, MMSU, MMMH, UNP, DMMMSU including the representatives of their partner agencies like the CHR, POPCOM, DOH, NNC, DOST, and PCHRD.
The workshop consisted of a Pre-Test; 9 Lectures; 5 Small Group Works (SGW) which varied from Discussions, Self-Discernment and Role Play; Plenary Sessions in the form of Previews, Presentations and Critiques; Individual Reading and Assignment; a Post Test Evaluation; and Daily and Final Workshop Evaluation.
The workshop started at 2:00 PM with the administration of a pre-test on Research Cognitive Valuation. This was immediately followed by a short introduction on the workshop goals and quick run through of the program schedule.
Dr. Rosario Angeles T. Alora and Dr. Evangeline O. Santos, who are both from the Research Ethics Board of UP Manila, were the Main Resource Speakers/Facilitators of the said Workshop.
During the first day of the workshop, Dr. Alora gave Lectures 1, 2 and 6 which pertained to Introduction to Ethics in Research, Ethical Research, and Valuing the Person as Equal to Others: Justice, respectively.
Dr. Santos, on the other hand, delivered Lectures 3, 4 and 5 anent Valuing the Person as an End: Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, and Valuing the Person as one with Dignity: Autonomy.
On the second day, Dr. Alora discussed Lecture 7 relative to Ensuring Ethical Research Controls, while Dr. Santos delved on Lectures 8 and 9 about the The Institutional Ethics Review Committee and The Ethical Researcher, respectively.
Shortly thereafter, each of the participants shared their personal limitations/hindrances as well as their plan of action/recommendations on how they can improve as a researcher or member of the committee.
The workshop was conducted to provide an avenue for the aforesaid participants to dialogue and guide regarding the moral dimensions of research; to help the participants evaluate ethical research, specifically to sensitize them on the basic concepts, to apply the concepts to avoid, recognize and correct issues; to describe the different controls for Ethics in Research focusing on the Phil Health Research Ethics Board, Institutional Research Ethics Committee and the Researcher; and to motivate the participants to do and advocate quality ethical research.
