title: STATUS OF ETHICAL REVIEW BOARDS IN MEDICAL COLLEGES OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ethics means custom, character, habit or disposition and as a discipline is frequently called Moral Philosophy. Ethics cannot be regulated until it is incorporated in Law. With the advent of research in life sciences, the need of ethical review boards was felt to protect individual and public interests. The objective of this study was to know the status of ethical review boards at all medical colleges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in terms of its existence, membership and activities.
  
  
  METHODS
  This province wise cross-sectional survey was conducted over a period of three months. All the sixteen medical colleges of the province registered with Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Islamabad were included. A structured questionnaire was used as data collection tool. Single respondent from each medical college was identified by the respective chief executive officer or principal. Data was analysed through SPSS V-20 and MS Excel 2007. Descriptive statistics were calculated for quantitative data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of sixteen medical colleges, one had no ethical review board and another neither refused nor returned filled questionnaire. Eleven medical colleges reported combined boards with their teaching hospitals, while 3 had separate boards. Highest number of members noted was 14 and lowest being 4. Mode was 8. None of the boards had a medical doctor with degree or diploma in bioethics, as its member. Six medical colleges had medical doctors who had attended workshops on bioethics. Majority of medical colleges had no track of record about its review boards.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall situation of ethical review boards at the medical colleges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is not satisfactory and needs proper regulatory measures.
authors.forename: Saidul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abrar
authors.forename: Katrina Aminah
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Ronis
authors.forename: Shahid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Sumbal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siraj
authors.forename: Wajeeha
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Safdar
authors.forename: Yamna
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Khalid
authors.forename: Ayesha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amjad
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhtar
authors.forename: Haleema
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.forename: Tayeba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.forename: Nukhba
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mahmood
authors.forename: Samea
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Noor
authors.forename: Warda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Haroon
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D028744:Ethics Committees, Research; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D010154:Pakistan; D010820:Physicians / Q000941:ethics*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires