The BC Common Clinical Informed Consent Form (BC CCICF) is being updated to better reflect today’s health research environment in BC. The goal is for the template to better reflect provincial legislation, regulatory requirements, community needs, and best practices. Research ethics communities have also highlighted the need for greater accessibility, inclusiveness, and readability, particularly for patients and Indigenous communities.
Originally developed in 2013 to harmonize clinical consent forms across BC, the template has undergone several updates, most recently in 2020. In 2022, stewardship of the form transitioned to the research ethics team within Clinical Trials British Columbia. The team works collaboratively with BC’s 27 institutional research ethics boards to advance ethics harmonization across the province for all research.
The project aims to deliver an updated, easy-to-use consent form that:
- Meets current legislative and regulatory requirements.
- Is adaptable for use across institutions.
- Is clear, concise, and accessible for all populations.
- Reflects input from patient partners, Indigenous rights holders, and minority groups.
- Is endorsed by research ethics boards across BC.
The BC CCICF update is well underway. With approximately 65% of the initial review complete, the working group continues to engage stakeholders and partners as it moves toward a revised template and guidance that will strengthen ethical clinical research in BC.
If you’d like to learn more, please contact Jessica at researchethics@healthresearchbc.ca.