The Cardinal Santos Medical Center Research Ethics Review Committee (CSMC RERC) was established in May 2003 as then Institutional Review Board (IRB). It is an independent body created by the Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) under the Vice President & Chief Medical Officer (VP & CMO). Its responsibility is to ensure the protection of the rights, safety, and well-being of human participants involved in health-related research and to provide public assurance of that protection. In accordance with the applicable national/international regulations, the CSMC RERC has the authority to approve, require modifications to, or disapprove research protocols and related documents, as well as, ensure compliance with its procedures after approval.The CSMC RERC reviews and monitors health researches that involve:

CSMC RERC is guided in its reflection, advice, and decision by the ethical principles and procedures expressed in the following international guidelines and documents:

CSMC RERC adheres to the national and international ethical standards and functions in accordance with the national laws, regulations, and guidelines.CSMC RERC provides its own standard operating procedures based on:

In evaluating protocols and ethical issues, CSMC RERC is cognizant of the diversity of laws, cultures and practices governing health research in various countries around the world.It attempts to inform itself, whenever possible, of the regulations and requirements of the sponsor countries conducting global protocols in the Philippines; and of the requirements and conditions of the various localities where a proposed Cardinal Santos Medical Center research is being considered.CSMC RERC takes the initiative to be informed, as appropriate, by the national/local ethics committees and researchers of the impact of the research that it has approved.