The Makati Medical Center-Institutional Review Board (MMC-IRB) is an independent ethics committee under the Office of the Medical Director that conducts technical and ethical reviews of research studies involving human subjects – conducted within the institution or outside the confines of the Center when initiated by MMC-affiliated investigators. Embracing its role as a vital unit in one of the largest tertiary care facilities right in the heart of the country’s commercial and business district, the MMC-IRB aligns its activities and goals with the Mission and Vision of Makati Medical Center – the first Philippine Hospital to receive accreditation in accordance with the standards of the 2011 Joint Commission International (JCI) 4th Edition.
The ethics review of study protocols are based on local laws and regulations, standards of professional conduct and practice with sensitivity to cultural differences and community values. The MMC-IRB has the primary responsibility to protect the rights and welfare of human participants involved in clinical investigations. It evaluates the conduct of research in accordance with the provisions of the Declaration of Helsinki, International Conference of Harmonization Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP), the Guidelines on the Conduct of Biomedical Research, National Ethics Guidelines for Health Research and other pertinent international and national guidelines and policies. The MMC-IRB regularly meets every third Tuesday of the month.