ETATMBA Ethics Advisory Committee
Teleconference
Monday 20th February 2012
at 09:30 UK, 11:30 Malawi, 12:30 Tanzania
MINUTES
Present: Anne Slowther (AMS) (chair), Chisale Mhango (CM), David Ellard (DE), Anne-Marie
Brennan (AMB)
1.
Apologies
None.
Unable to contact Joyce Ikingura or Colin McCord.
2.
Minutes of last meeting held on 31st October 2011
AS requested clarification on item 4, in relation to whether automatic approval from the National
Health Services Research Committee would follow once COMREC approval is received, and
the relationship of the Malawi Medical Council to these bodies. CM confirmed that National
approval would automatically follow COMREC approval. Approval by the Malawi Medical
Council is a separate matter, related to the development of a formal qualification for the clinical
officers. This is ongoing.
AS requested an update on item 7 (ethics of patient contribution to training sessions). CM
reported that this matter has not progressed. AS asked for the item to be kept on the agenda to
ensure it is not forgotten.
Report on item 8a Karolinska representative for the Ethics Advisory Committee. No further
progress
Action: Query to be put to the steering committee’s next meeting.
Report on item 8b training videos. Staffan Bergström said that the videos were currently being
edited. His timescale suggests the editing should be finished by now.
Action: AMB to request the material is made available for review.
3.
Update on local ethics committee in the UK
Full approval is still awaited, as this is dependent on local approval in Malawi.
4.
Update on local ethics committees in Malawi
A revised application for expedited review was submitted earlier this month. The outcome is
awaited.
Action: Update from COMREC, granting full approval, should be made available to the Ethics
Advisory Committee by Friday 9th March.
5.
Evaluation of the project – Malawi
DE reported that the study does not yet have full approval but that the Ministry of Health
accepted the partial approval to collect baseline data. He was able to start some interviews
with the trainees during his recent visit. There are logistic and budgetary constraints on the
project which mean that the assessment originally designed is no longer feasible. Full ethics
approval is essential for the study to proceed further.
6.
Evaluation of the project - Tanzania
Two documents have been received in response to the request for information on how
ETATMBA is being evaluated in Tanzania. One was the planned assessment of the trainees
themselves; the other outlined the possible evaluation of a training programme which was not
specific to ETATMBA. AS thought this document related to a programme funded by the World
Lung Foundation between 2008 and 2010, and that the training currently underway in Tanzania
is a continuation of this funding. No evaluation appears to be taking place at present. CM
thought that Tanzania may be using a standard government report, when it becomes due, as
means of testing the objectives of the ETATMBA study.
Action: Both Malawi and Tanzania to be asked for an updated report on their progress in
implementing evaluation (ie rather than simply stating what they plan to do, we want to know
what they have achieved).
Action: In the light of CM’s comment above, the steering committee should be consulted as to
whether this is acceptable as there will not be comparable outcomes between Malawi and
Tanzania.
7.
Any other business
None, but DE commented that there have been many significant and difficult issues raised over
the last couple of weeks and it is not yet clear what impact these will have on the project.
9.
Date of next teleconference
The next meeting will be Monday 23rd April, at 09.30am UK time. The change to summer
daylight saving means that the time will be 10.30am for Malawi and 11.30am for Tanzania.