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SCC and Ethics

MRC The Gambia SCC and Ethics procedure

The review by the Scientific Coordinating Committee (SCC) is the first stage for obtaining an ethical approval for research involving human participants. The mandate of the SCC is to review biomedical and social behavioural research studies to determine the scientific value, feasibility, and methodology of proposed research projects and of on-going studies according to its terms of reference.

SCC also assesses whether the proposed study aligns to MRCG at LSHTM's research priorities and objectives.

The SCC consists of scientists and heads of research related departments. A representative of the Ministry of Health also attends SCC meetings.

The deadline for submissions by applicants is 14 days before the actual meeting of the SCC. The dates of the deadlines and meetings are indicated in the annual meetings calendar. Applications received after the submission deadline will be held over to the following meeting.

SCC meets on the first Monday of every month at 08:30 hours. The Principal Investigator (PI) (or delegate) is invited to present the proposal at the SCC meeting.

Once an application receives a favourable opinion from SCC, it will be forwarded directly to The Gambia Government/MRCG Joint Ethics Committee (EC) for further consideration. For an application to qualify for ethical review, it must receive full approval from a recognised science committee (such as SCC) in The Gambia.

EC evaluates proposals by reviewing the submitted documents, paying special attention to the procedure and documentation of the consent process, the potential risks and benefits for research participants, the impact on the community and the ethical suitability and feasibility of the project.

EC sits on the last Thursday of every month at 16:00 hours unless otherwise stated. EC members are assigned as lead reviewers for each application to be reviewed at the full committee meeting. Although each EC member must review all of the materials and be prepared for discussion, the lead reviewer(s) is responsible for presenting a brief summary of the study. Applicants are not usually invited to attend EC meetings unless when it is deemed necessary.

Frequently asked questions

Glossary:

  • SCC - Scientific Coordinating Committee 
  • GG/MRCG JEC -Gambia Government/Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia Joint Ethics Committee 

Q: When do I need to apply for approval from SCC and GG/MRCG JEC?

  • Any research involving living human participants in The Gambia, their tissue or biological samples, biological materials, extraction of data from patient records or lab-based projects must be referred to and approved by SCC and GG/MRCG JEC.  The only exception are studies using data fully in the public domain.

    Please note : No study should commence until ethical approval has been notified in writing to the investigator/student. Ethics approval cannot be granted retrospectively. 

Q: I already have ethical approval from another ethics committee outside The Gambia. Do I still need to apply to SCC and GG/MRCG JEC?

  • Yes, you will still need to apply to SCC and GG/MRCG JEC for research taking place in the Gambia.

Q: How do I apply to the SCC and GG/MRCG JEC?

Q: Can I submit my application via email or send hardcopies to the Secretariat?

  • No, the SCC and GG/MRCG JEC has fully transitioned online since 2019 and no longer accepts submissions via email or hardcopies.

Q: Where can I find deadlines for submissions and meeting dates?

  • Deadlines for submissions and meeting dates can be found here. 

Q: How do I complete the ethics application form and other sub forms (such as amendment, annual reports, safety reports)?

  • As a first-time user:
    • Click here
    • Register by clicking on the green 'New User' button.
    • Follow the guidance on completing and submitting applications which can be found here and here. 
    • For external applicants (non MRCG staff) please refer to the additional guide which can be found here.

Q: What happens after my application has been submitted?

  • For full project proposals, the Secretariat will send you an invitation with a date and time to attend  the next SCC meeting.
  • You will be allocated 5-7 minutes to present your proposed study to the reviewers, you can use PowerPoint presentations.
  • Once the application is approved, the Secretariat will automatically forward it to the GG/MRCG JEC for further consideration at their next meeting.

Q: Do I need to attend the GG/MRCG JEC meeting to present my proposed study?

  • No, all applications are assigned to ethics reviewers who present them at the meetings on behalf of Principal Investigators/Students.

Q: When can I expect feedback from the Committees?

  • You can expect feedback from the Committees ten working days after each meeting.
  • If your application is approved, you will have full permission to commence the study. 
  • If the proposed study is not approved, you will receive a request for clarification or resubmission with queries or comments to be addressed.
  • NOTE: For MRCG and LSHTM projects, you will also need to receive approval from LSHTM EC before commencing your study.

Q: How do I respond to request for clarification to the Committees?

  • Instructions on how to respond to queries or resubmit an application are usually included in the letter sent to the Investigator/Student. For detailed guidance, you can watch the video below:

Frequently used services

  • The service mostly used for ethics applications is the LSHTM Ethics Online Application (LEO) platform which is accessible by clicking  here. 

SOPs and policies

Other resources

Contact Ethics Secretariat