Review & Advisory Boards

YRG CARE has organized two committees to review and oversee both our social and medical research projects. These committees will review each research proposal, approve the research before any work can begin and continue to monitor human safety issues. Based in Chennai and coming from varied backgrounds, members in each committee serve on a voluntary basis.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

YR Gaitonde Medical, Educational and Research Foundation, Centre for AIDS Research and Education, has registered its Institutional Review Board (IRB) in the year January 1999 and a Federal wide Assurance (FWA) in the year March 2001 with the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) in keeping with the International Guidelines for research protocols. The FWA is approved for a three-year period and should be renewed prior to its expiration. The members are from varied backgrounds - Microbiologists, Legal Advisor, Development Consultant, Social Scientists, Ophthalmologists, HIV /AIDS activists for women, Psychiatrists, Social activist, Economists and General Medicine. Most of them have experience in the field of research. The primary purpose of the IRB is to ensure the protection of the rights and welfare of the human subjects and all research conducted by YRG CARE is in compliance with the highest ethical standards.

The IRB has selected a Chairperson by vote of majority. All the IRB members have completed the Human Subjects Training. The members of the IRB serve on a voluntary basis. The IRB meets monthly on the first Saturday of the calendar month unless otherwise voted by the members. The task of the IRB is to ensure that all research conducted by YRG CARE is in compliance with the highest ethical standards. The primary purpose of the IRB is to ensure the protection of the rights and welfare of human subjects in research at YRG CARE. The members thoroughly review all materials, protocols, informed consents and reports.

The IRB is governed by the principles described in The Belmont Report, Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the protection of Human Subjects. All the projects are submitted to the ICMR for review and approval.

At YRG CARE, the IRB Coordinator, in conjunction with the PI and members of the Research staff coordinates timely submission and distribution of study materials, creates the agenda, records and distributes the minutes of the meeting one week prior to the meeting and maintains all files and correspondence.

List of IRB members

Dr. S.P. Thyagarajan - Chairperson
Mr. Arvind Subramaniam
Dr. Jayakar Paul
Dr. Vishwas Gaitonde
Mr. Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Suresh Kumar
Ms. Sarah Chanda
Dr. Jyotirmay Biswas
Dr. Jayapaul Azariah
Dr. Malathy Doraisamy
Dr. Suniti Solomon
Dr. T. Rajkumar
Dr. C.N. Paramasivan
Ms. Sheila Jayaprakash
Ms. Kausalya

Community Advisory Board (CAB)

YRG CARE constituted the Community Advisory Board (CAB) to provide needed impetus to designing research projects, especially those under the HIV Prevention Trials Unit (HPTU), that enhance benefits for and participation of the community.

The CAB provides insight into how to design projects for the maximum benefit of the community. Representatives meet on a quarterly basis and will discuss issues related to YRG CARE's research, including priorities, follow-up plans, recruitment, fostering community trust, etc.

The CAB meets quarterly at Chennai and discusses the following:

§         Research Priorities

§         Research design issues such as Cohort selection criteria

§         Questionnaire/other instrument design

§         Follow-up plans

§         Informed consent procedures

§         Risk reduction intervention models

§         Community education and outreach

§         Recruitment and retention planning

§         Measures to foster community trust

§         Respect for social, cultural and political realities of the communities where the recruitment will take place

§         How to maximize opportunities for dialogue about implementing research trials

As a matter of primary focus, the CAB

§         Protects research subjects from physical, social or ethical norms

§         Evaluates appropriateness of educational materials prior to mass distribution

§         Membership in the CAB is a voluntary, honorary position.

List of CAB members:

Father Xavier Alphonse - Chairperson

Ms. Malini Balakrishnan – Co-chair
Rev. Asir Ebenezer
Rtn. R.N. Prasad
Mr. Sunil Menon
Ms. Nithya Balaji
Ms. Usha
Dr. Shakuntala Suresh Kumar
Dr. Sheela Shyamprasad
Ms. Romola James
Ms. Anita Sumanth
Ms. Vijaya
Mr. Sasi
Ms. Pushpa
Ms. Parameswari
Ms. Alamelu
Ms. Amulu
Ms. Jeeva
Mr. Shoken raj
Ms. Hemalatha
Ms. Sasikala