Ethics Review Committee
The primary objective of the Ethics Review Committee (ERC), of Health Informatics Society of Sri Lanka (HISSL) is to promote the rights, dignity, safety and wellbeing of persons; of whom the information is entered, stored, processed, transmitted or archived in a health and related information systems through an efficient and effective review and monitoring process.
Objectives:
- To promote adopting ethical standards in health and related information systems.
- To provide independent and competent review and auditing of health information systems in respect of their ethical acceptability.
- To provide ethical oversight, monitoring and advice for health related information systems.
- To prescribe the principles and procedures to govern information systems with personally identifiable information.
- To provide guidance on enhancing the privacy, security and confidentiality of the information in health and related information systems.
Scope:
- Health related information systems may include, but are not limited to, information systems, databases, repositories and archives involving Personal Health Records, Clinical Information, Pharmacy / prescription, human genomics, medical laboratory, public health , medical imaging, and biological samples.
- The ERC will assess projects submitted to it for review or auditing.
- The ERC will review proposals for information systems referred by other ERCs. In such circumstances, an agreement shall exist between the ERC and the external ERC that seeks expert opinion. The agreement shall specify which party bears legal responsibility for the liabilities that arise from the ethical review.
- Those who commission any particular health and related information system shall ensure standard information system security measures are adhered to. The ERC or HISSL shall not be liable to any damage caused by non-adherence to such security measures, or due to mechanical malfunctions, software errors (bugs), human errors or acts of will.