<p><img alt="Associate Professor Martin Tolich" src="/uploads/images/martin-tolich.png" style="float:right; height:268px; margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px; width:168px" />On 28 June 2017, University of Otago Associate Professor Martin Tolich facilitated a Research Ethics Symposium at the Auckland AUT South Campus. Martin has played a key role in the recent establishment of the New Zealand Ethics Committee (NZEC). The NZEC provides independent ethics review for projects carried out in New Zealand outside the universities and the health sector.&nbsp; The purpose of the Research Ethics Symposium was to provide a forum to present and discuss current ethical issues.</p>

<p>The Symposium attracted some 20 delegates, mainly from the Auckland area, including University ethics committee members, local government researchers, a Pasifika health and social services provider, academics and researchers. Whakauae researchers Gill Potaka-Osborne and Lynley Cvitanovic took part in the Symposium. A highlight of the day for them was meeting with members of ethics committees including their research colleague Dr Lesley Batten, Chair of Massey University&rsquo;s Southern A Human Ethics Committee.</p>

<p>Two invited speakers presented during the Symposium. The first speaker, Dr Gary Allen, a Senior Consultant with the Australasian Human Ethics Consultancy Services Pty Ltd (AHRECS) and senior policy officer at Griffith University (Queensland) explored the ethical challenges that social media presents for researchers. His presentation was entitled:</p>

<h4>If research &rsquo;only&rsquo; involves the analysis of comments/posts/feeds on social media is it human research? Does it require review?</h4>

<p>Dr Allen provided concrete examples such as The Ashley Maddison and OK Cupid cases and the ethical challenges they presented. His presentation included discussion around what constitutes valid consent in social media forums particularly as the current generation are more accepting of media parameters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The second speaker, Dr D&ograve;nal O&rsquo;Math&ugrave;na, is a Senior Lecturer in Ethics, Decision-making &amp; Evidence, School of Nursing and Human Sciences, Dublin City University. His presentation Disaster Ethics: Issues for Researchers and participants focused on research ethics and disasters. His k&#333;rero around vulnerable populations resonated with our own Indigenous research values. He presented a framework which he considered was a benchmark of ethical research:</p>

<ol>
	<li>Collaborative partnership (right from the beginning)</li>
	<li>Social value (there must be some benefit)</li>
	<li>Scientific validity (study design, feasible, funding available)</li>
	<li>Fair subject selection</li>
	<li>Favourable risk-benefit ratio (reciprocity benefits)</li>
	<li>Informed consent</li>
	<li>Respect for participants and communities</li>
	<li>Independent review.</li>
</ol>

<p>Both presentations were relevant for us in our current research environment and continue to help us reflect on ethics in our own research practice.</p>
