Research

Unisan appointed as vice-chairperson of SAMAREC

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Tanya Coetzee, a Research Integrity and Ethics Officer in the Directorate of Research Support at Unisa, was recently appointed as a committee member and vice-chairperson of the South African Medical Association Research Ethics Committee (SAMAREC) for three years.

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Tanya Coetzee

SAMAREC was established by the South African Medical Association (SAMA) in 1992 to evaluate the ethics of research protocols developed for clinical trials in the private healthcare sector.

According to the SAMA website: "The main responsibility of SAMAREC is to ensure the protection and respect of the rights, safety and well-being of participants involved in clinical trials and to provide public assurance of that protection by reviewing, approving and providing comment on clinical trial protocols, the suitability of investigator(s), facilities, methods and procedures used to obtain informed consent."

As an ethicist who is passionate about research ethics and the critical role of the Research Ethics Committee (REC), Coetzee says being a committee member of SAMAREC has enabled her to cross-pollinate and will further enhance her contribution to the research ethics landscape at Unisa and beyond.

Her role as vice-chairperson includes reviewing protocols, assisting with audits of the National Health Research Ethics Council (NHREC), reporting, and representing the committee at forums and events.

"I hope to advocate for the importance of local needs and context in global health policies and procedures," she says.


Esteemed expert in research ethics

Coetzee has worked in research support and administration for almost 30 years and has postgraduate qualifications in health research ethics and applied ethics. Having joined Unisa in 2020, she says being part of the Research Support team has exposed her to many professional networks and growth opportunities.

In her role of promoting research ethics and integrity processes at Unisa, Coetzee has trained more than 1 700 researchers and postgraduate students in research ethics and integrity during the last four years.

An esteemed expert in research ethics in the service of humanity, Coetzee is a member of the Unisa Research Ethics Review Committee and part of the Community of Practice in Research Ethics and Integrity under the auspices of the Southern African Research & Innovation Management Association (SARIMA). She is also a co-opted member of the SARIMA Research Management Portfolio Committee.  

* By Mpho Moloele, PR and Communications, Department of Research, Innovation & Commercialisation

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Publish date: 2024/04/11

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