Qatari healthcare system to undergo changes

A two-day training workshop for the protection of human subjects involved in research was recently held by the Supreme Council of Health’s Research Division. The workshop, which emphasised the requirement for effective governance of health research was the goal of Project 7.1.Research Governance, one of the 39 National Health Strategy projects, which are aimed at transforming healthcare in Qatar. More than 65 researchers from Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar University, Sidra Medical and Research Centre, Georgetown School of Foreign Service in Qatar, Carnegie Mellon University-Qatar, Weil Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Shafallah Genetic and Medical Research Centre, University of Calgary, Queen Dental and Research Centre, SCH’s Addiction Centre and Public Health department, gathered to share and learn more about national and international best practice in human research and clinical trials. The workshop, which was launched by SCH Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety director Dr Jamal Khanji, presented the rules and regulations developed by the SCH to govern ethical conduct in research to ensure that care of research participants is embedded at the heart of all health related research. Discussion at the workshop also included human subject consent, social and behavioural regulation, internet related research, stem cell research and clinical trials, which are all important topics that concern researchers, clinicians and nurses involved with clinical, biomedical and behavioural/social research particularly in relation to the protection of vulnerable subjects including children and women as well as the application of the national regulations for the use of stem cells and gene transfer in human research. “Participation in the workshop by such a large number of institutes demonstrated how the National Health Strategy 2011-2016 is increasing cohesion and collaboration within health research under the governing direction of SCH Assistant Secretary General for Policy Affairs Dr Faleh Mohamed Hussain Ali,” a spokesperson said. Keynote speakers at the workshop organised by SCH  Research Division,Training and Development department manager Dr Eman Sadoun included Dr Jan Vleck and Davis Forest, both from the Western Institutional Review Board. The holding of the workshop precedes next month’s Annual Research Forum from October 21-23, where the national strategy for scientific research will be released. From GT