Research using health information

Health information in Alberta that is in the custody or under the control of a custodian or health information repository is governed and protected by the Health Information Act.

Researchers who propose to access/use health information in their research must gain ethical approval for the project from a Health Information Act Designated Research Ethics Board (under Part 5, Division 3 of the Health Information Act).

The University of Alberta Health Research Ethics Board is a designated Research Ethics Board under the Health Information Act; therefore, Athabasca University has entered into an agreement with the University of Alberta whereby Athabasca University has delegated the research ethics review of Health Information Act Reviewable Research of Athabasca University Researchers, to the Human Research Ethics Board established and maintained by the University of Alberta. The intent of such an agreement is to streamline the ethics review process of specialized research (Health Information Act reviewable research) for our researchers, while still ensuring all appropriate and necessary ethical standards and participant protections are upheld.

Athabasca University researchers who are conducting Health Information Act reviewable research, will only have to apply for ethics review through the University of Alberta online research ethics management system (REMO), from the Health Research Ethics Board – Health Panel (HREB3) and will no longer be required to also apply for ethics approval here at Athabasca University. The Athabasca University Research Ethics Board will accept the review conducted by the University of Alberta Health Research Ethics Board without further scrutiny.

The ethics review conducted by the Health Research Ethics Board at the University of Alberta may also be accepted by other institutions party to the Research Ethics Reciprocity Agreement in Alberta (College of Physicians and Surgeons, Alberta Health Services, Alberta Innovates Health Solutions, Covenant Health, the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary) which establishes the jurisdiction of the research ethics boards designated to review health research in Alberta and enables those research ethics boards to accept one another's review and approval.

If you are conducting health research and you wish to discuss whether or not this new review process applies to you, please contact the research ethics officer at 780-213-2033 or by email rebsec@athabascau.ca.