Research Ethics Committee
Ethics Committee
The Commission for Academic Integrity and Best Practices in Research at the CEU Cardenal Herrera University is made up of the Rector of the University, the Vice-Rector for Research and the Deputy Vice-Rector for Research. The overall aim of the Commission is to ensure the academic integrity of all research processes in which the University's researchers participate. The CEU Cardenal Herrera's Single Regulatory Document contains a series of recommendations for researchers to follow in order to ensure that academic integrity is maintained when proposing research activities and throughout the research process itself, by avoiding poor practices and misconduct.
The most important of these recommendations are:
To employ HONESTY AND TRUTHFULNESS in one's own activities, when collaborating with colleagues, and throughout the whole research process, from the experimental phase to the publication of the research findings.
For all researchers and group members to possess PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for their actions.
For queries and complaints write to: integridadcientificaybuenaspracticas@uchceu.es
The mission of this body, reporting to the Office of the Vice-Rector for Research and therefore part of the structure of the CEU Cardenal Herrera University, is to ensure that ethical principles are respected when carrying out research with human participants. These principles are internationally recognized and enshrined in documents such as the Declaration of Helsinki, the European Conventions on Human Rights and Bioethics, and the Magisterium of the Church.
Biomedical research forms are a key part of today's scientific endeavours, which seek to increase social well-being, quality of life and life expectancy. Our objective is to ensure that research activities take place within a high-quality, ethical, safe, and lawful framework.
The Committee also seeks to support, inform and guide researchers in the biomedical research field, helping them to stay within the Spanish and European legal framework and ensuring that participants' rights and welfare are protected.
What do you have to do if you want to carry out a biomedical research study? If you are a researcher at the CEU Cardenal Herrera University (UCH), you can access information about the application and evaluation process through this link.
Royal Decree 53/2013, of 1st February, establishing the basic regulations for the protection of animals used in experiments and for other scientific purposes, including teaching was published in the BOE of 8th February 2013. This Royal Decree makes it mandatory for all procedures with animals to be assessed by an ethics committee and by an órgano habilitado, i.e., a body which has been officially authorized to perform the assessment of such procedures.
The CEU UCH's Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee was established to meet the legal requirements with regard to experimental procedures and teaching activities involving animals.
Our objective is to ensure that research activities take place within a high-quality, ethical, safe, and lawful framework.
The Committee also seeks to support, inform and guide researchers carrying out experiments with animals, helping them to stay within the legal framework and ensuring animal welfare as a priority.
CEU UCH has been certified by Valencia's regional government since April 2017 as an authorized body for the assessment of such research projects.
What do you have to do if the use of animals is necessary for your research? If you are a researcher at the CEU Cardenal Herrera University (UCH), you can access information about the application and evaluation process through this link.
Institutional declaration regarding the use of animals in experiments
The CEU Cardenal Herrera University is a signatory to the transparency agreement for animal experimentation, promoted by COSCE (the Federation of Spanish Scientific Societies) in conjunction with the EARA (the European Animal Research Association), which was formulated on 20th September 2016.
We know that animal research plays a key role in the discovery of the biological mechanisms involved in diseases and in the development of medical treatments. Without animal research, most of the medicines, antibiotics, vaccines and surgical techniques which are widely used in human and veterinary medicine would never have been developed.
Part of the research that is undertaken at the CEU Cardenal Herrera University and which contributes to the improvement of people's lives can only take place through the use of animals. Examples include work in ophthalmology, animal health, developmental studies, surgery and cancer.
Animal welfare during research processes is taken very seriously at the CEU Cardenal Herrera University. We also strictly comply with the law with regard to the protection of animals used in research and teaching activities and aim to achieve the highest standards in animal welfare. This is based both on our moral responsibility to the animals concerned and on the view that high-quality research cannot be achieved without regard for animal welfare. All the experiments undertaken involving animals are compliant with the law. They are reviewed by our Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee, which seeks to promote the use of alternative methods, a reduction in the number of animals used, and the optimization of experimental procedures. No research project requiring the use of animals can begin without the prior assessment and authorization of the project by the Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee.
The CEU Cardenal Herrera University seeks to ensure that all of the staff caring for animals and the researchers involved in animal experimentation receive the appropriate training. It also undertakes to ensure that sufficient resources are provided for the care of the animals involved in experimental procedures, with regard to facilities, nutrition, welfare, and veterinary care.
The principal mission of the CEU Cardenal Herrera University's Bioethics Committee is to protect the health and safety of laboratory staff, researchers, students, and animals when these groups are involved in research activities through the provision of safe facilities and a safe working environment. The Biosafety Committee aims to minimize all risks associated with biological agents and genetically modified organisms. At the same time, it seeks to ensure compliance with the law at the regional, national and international levels, and compliance with internal regulations. Any research activities which are found to violate the principles of biosafety, as established through legislation or internal regulations, will be suspended. Amongst the range of applicable legislation, Royal Decree 664/1997, regarding the protection of workers from risks associated with exposure to biological agents in the workplace, is particularly important.
The Biosafety Committee (CBS) reports to the Office of the Vice-Rector for Research at CEU UCH.
What should I do if my research requires the use of biological agents and genetically modified organisms? If you are a researcher at the CEU Cardenal Herrera University (UCH), you can access information about the application and evaluation process through this link.