Table 5 Challenges to proper functioning of the research ethics committees
From: Identifying structures, processes, resources and needs of research ethics committees in Egypt
| Challenges | Frequency of RECs reporting challenge |
|---|---|
| The need to develop appropriate national ethics guidelines | 92% (11/12) |
| Inadequate ability to monitor approved protocols | 91% (10/11) |
| Lack of ongoing training for members in research ethics | 82% (9/11) |
| Lack of national accreditation mechanism for ethics committees | 67% (8/12) |
| Lack of national standards for operation of committees | 58% (7/12) |
| Competence of members to review research protocols | 55% (6/11) |
| Variable use of ethical guidelines across committees in Egypt | 33% (4/12) |
| Lack of coordination between different committee | 33% (4/12) |
| Difficulties adapting international guidelines to local conditions | 25% (3/12) |