Postgraduate Course: Ethical and Regulatory Considerations in Clinical Trials (MCLM11078)
Course Outline
School | Deanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Available to all students |
SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
Summary | This course will equip students with the ability to implement a clinical trial that complies with the relevant legislative and governance frameworks. |
Course description |
Clinical trials must be conducted in a highly regulated environment, designed to protect the rights, safety and well-being of participants and the credibility of trial data. This course will explore the fundamental ethical principles that underpin clinical research guidelines and shape the regulatory landscape globally.
Students will be introduced to key ethical and regulatory frameworks in place today, consider the drivers for their development and evaluate their impact on RCTs. There will be a focus on Good Clinical Practice (GCP), an international safety and quality standard, which will allow students to develop an understanding of the main objectives of GCP and how it can be applied in an effective and risk proportionate manner.
Research governance structures will be considered, including external review by regulatory authorities and ethics committees, as well as the internal mechanisms sponsors use to maintain oversight of clinical trials.
Students will examine the ethical basis of informed consent, with critical exploration of how consent can be obtained in a variety of settings and patient populations. They will further explore how trial participants are safeguarded through the application of safety reporting procedures, and the importance of data integrity in supporting good decision making for future patient care.
Throughout the course students will be challenged to address difficult ethical issues in RCTs, apply their knowledge and critical thinking to draw their own conclusions on the application of ethical and regulatory frameworks, and discuss and debate their position with their peers through online participation.
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisites | None |
High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: None |
Course Start |
Flexible |
Course Start Date |
06/01/2025 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
|
Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
Additional Information (Assessment) |
100% course work
|
Feedback |
Not entered |
No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of how to apply ethical and regulatory frameworks in a variety of settings.
- Evaluate and implement a clinical trial protocol from an ethical and regulatory perspective.
- Appraise the process of informed consent for clinical trials in different settings and defend the approaches applied in specific patient populations.
|
Reading List
Please refer to the programme handbook. |
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Research and enquiry: Problem solving, critical thinking, handling complexity and ambiguity, knowledge integration and application.
Personal and intellectual autonomy: Ethical and social responsibility, decision-making, independent learning and development.
Communication: cross cultural communication, written communications, verbal communication and presentation, interpersonal skills
Personal Effectiveness: Planning, organising and time management, professional and situational awareness, assertiveness and confidence.
|
Keywords | Ethics,GCP,RCTs,Regulation,Clinical Trial,Legislation,Governance,Informed Consent |
Contacts
Course organiser | Mr James Gibson
Tel:
Email: james.gibson@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Rebecca Sewell
Tel: (0131 6)51 7112
Email: Rebecca.Sewell@ed.ac.uk |
|
|