Research ethics committees’ leaderships in Brazil: profile and performance

Abstract

The article presents survey results towards defining the CEP-Conep System profile, and these actors’ perceptions of the system. It is a cross-sectional study, through application of a mainly closed questions questionnaire. It discusses representativeness, presence of institutional managers,
its members’ excessive work, and the need for research ethics better formation. It points to areas considered as more complex by the interviewee, like research involving children, indigenous people, genetics, new drugs and procedures considered as invasive. It finds positive aspects, implying that the CEP-Conep system is organized and, most of the time, effective. Finally, it identifies dangers of conflict of interest, the need for more CEP democratization and users´ representatives participation, relevant aspects for the development of research subjects protection policy in Brazil.