Shahid Dharma Bhakta National Transplant Center- Institutional Review Committee (IRC)

The Ethical Review Board (ERB) of the Nepal Health Research Council has given authority to Institutional Review Committees (IRCs) in hospitals and academic institutions across Nepal to oversee the ethical aspects of research. Each IRC includes members from different fields, with at least one female member and one external member.
The IRC holds regular meetings and submits progress reports to NHRC twice a year. It follows national guidelines to ensure that all research is conducted ethically and responsibly.
The IRC at Shahid Dharma Bhakta National Transplant Center reviews and approves research proposals from within the institution. However, it does not approve:

• National or international level studies
• Externally funded research
• Clinical trials involving human or animal participants

Roles of the IRC
The Institutional Review Committee is responsible for:

• Protecting the dignity, rights, safety, and well-being of all research participants, and ensuring humane treatment of animals used in research
• Conducting thorough ethical reviews of all health-related research proposals before implementation in clinical or laboratory settings, in line with NHRC guidelines
• Providing independent, impartial, and timely evaluation of research proposals
• Performing duties without any form of bias or external influence, including political, institutional, or commercial pressures
• Recommending necessary modifications to research protocols and monitoring ongoing research activities
• Ensuring informed consent is properly obtained and participants" rights are upheld, and taking action to suspend or terminate research that fails to meet ethical standards