PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
Social Science Ethics Review Board
PSSC set up the Social Science Ethics Review Board (SSERB) to take the lead in promoting ethical standards and practices in social science research. SSERB accepts and processes ethics clearance applications.
Through Board Resolution 17-01-01 dated January 20, 2017, the Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC) set up the Social Science Ethics Review Board (SSERB) to take the lead in promoting ethical standards and practices in social science research. Specifically, SSERB works to:
- Establish and update ethical standards and principles in the social sciences;
- Review the ethical aspects of proposed studies in the social sciences and related fields;
- Facilitate the training of reviewers in social science ethics;
- Conduct meetings and consultations with professional social science organizations on the setting and implementation of research ethics standards; and
- Coordinate the establishment of a national ethics guideline on the social sciences.
SSERB PRINCIPLES
Respect for Persons
Integrity
Confidentiality Privacy Anonymity
Informed Consent
Beneficence and Nonmaleficence
Social Justice
Cultural And Gender Sensitivity
Protection Of Vulnerable Populations
SSERB SERVICES
- Ethics review of research proposals or protocols. SSERB reviews social science research proposals/protocols submitted by individuals or organizations requiring ethics clearance for their projects.
- Capacity development activities. SSERB also conducts orientation about the SSERB Manual of Policies and Standard Operating Procedures, briefing on ethical considerations in social science research, and training on ethics review for institutions intending to set up their own Institutional Review Boards.
Ethics review of research
proposals or protocols.
Capacity development activities.
BASIC AND FULL REVIEW
Basic Review
Basic Review is carried out for protocols that involve an absence of, or low risk to human participants.
Standard turnaround time: 14 working days
*Note: Turnaround time covers the period from the receipt of complete requirements up to the release of the first decision letter. The first decision usually contains comments and suggestions from the ethics committee. Applicants are given 60 calendar days to respond, revise and resubmit their application based on the comments.
Day 1-3
- Logging and coding of complete protocol documents
- Redaction of identifying information of applicant
- Identification of 2-3 reviewers
- Notification of reviewers
Day 4-10
- Review Period
Day 11-14
- Drafting and release of decision letter and/or certificate of ethics clearance
Full Review
Full review is conducted when the research concerns sensitive and confidential information and may bring about potential physical, psychological and social harm to its participants. It is required when research exposes human participants to medium and high risk, and when the protocol involves vulnerable sectors, groups or populations.
Standard turnaround time: 21 working days
*Note: Turnaround time covers the period from the receipt of complete requirements up to the release of the first decision letter. The first decision usually contains comments and suggestions from the ethics committee. Applicants are given 60 calendar days to respond, revise and resubmit their application based on the comments.
Day 1-4
- Logging and coding of complete protocol documents
- Redaction of identifying information of applicant
- Notification of the SSERB Ethics Review Committee (ERC)
Day 5-12
- Individual Review
Day 13
- Consolidation of individual comments
Day 14
- ERC deliberation (every last week of the month)
Day 15-21
- Preparation and release of decision letter and/or certificate of ethics clearance
APPLYING FOR ETHICS CLEARANCE
STEP 1
Create an account in the SSERB Portal and accomplish the SSERB Application Form and Protocol Assessment Form. Wait for the confirmation of the review type and research category.
STEP 2
Pay a non-refundable application fee which is equivalent to the Basic Review Fee of the research category. This will be deducted from the total fee for ethics review. The full amount must be paid before the release of the final assessment results.
Applicants may settle the fee via online bank transfer, or through the PSSC Payment Center. An official receipt will be issued to the applicant.
PSSC bank details:
- Bank: Land Bank of the Philippines (Diliman Branch)
- Acct. name: Philippine Social Science Council Inc. (do not abbreviate)
- Account number: 4822-1107-09
STEP 3
Wait for the decision letter which may either contain comments and proposed revisions, or approval. After the approval of a protocol, applicants must submit some post-review requirements, depending on the outcome of their study (i.e. Final Report, Amendment, Continuing Review, or Early Study Termination Forms).
Access the SSERB Manual of Policies and Standard Operating Procedures here: SSERB MPSOP 2020.
All applications must be submitted online, with one physical copy submitted to the SSERB Research Ethics Officer at the PSSC office (temporarily suspended). Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Contact SSERB at sserb@pssc.org.ph for inquiries.
