Policy

          The Strategic Initiative for Developing Capacity in Ethical Review (SIDCER) is a TDR/WHO founded initiative. SIDCER has the primary aim of fostering independent in-country decision-making regarding the ethics of health research by establishing an international network for promoting mutual understanding on issues affecting the dignity of research subjects and their communities. Recognizing the potential for conflict of interest from any source of funding, SIDCER is committed to having a diverse funding portfolio across sectors, including public and private donors. In order to maintain its independence and high ethical standards, SIDCER actively seeks funding across a wide range of donor organisations, including public and private institutions. All SIDCER financial engagements are guided by the principles of independence in decision-making and transparency.
Conflicts of interest are inherent to the issues addressed in the ethics and science of health research. These conflicts are routed in the confrontations between the various vested interests of different groups and sectors in our societies engaged in research. SIDCER provides a neutral, non-aligned network for addressing capacity-building in the ethics of health research.
          In all of its activities, SIDCER promotes open dialogue and exchange on central issues in the ethics of health research across organizations and sectors in society. SIDCER only lends its name or support to activities, guidelines, positions, tenets, or policies into whose development it has had significant input and are in keeping with its mission, principles, and objectives.
          While the SIDCER encourages and promotes dialogue with all interested parties on issues related to health research, decisions on the form and content of all its activities and publications are independent of funding.
          SIDCER does not endorse organizations, companies, or products. It engages in no commercial or for profit activities. It lends its name only to ethical and scientific activities and publications where there is significant input from SIDCER under the supervision of the SIDCER Steering Committee and TDR/WHO.
SIDCER supports only activities in which it is engaged as a full partner or collaborating institution, providing it significant input into decisions regarding the ethics and science of the activity. SIDCER does not act as a funding agency for other organisations or events in which it is not significantly engaged.
          Each major SIDCER activity is developed under the guidance of a regional forum or through a collaboration of regional fora. The regional forum or SIDCER Secretariat has independent responsibility for the ethical, educational, scientific, financial and/or logistic development of the activity. The sources of funding for specific SIDCER activities are indicated in each activity’s programme description as well as the official report of each activity. Funders are encouraged by the SIDCER to provide a statement as to the motivation for their funding.
          TDR/WHO maintains the SIDCER finances and has final authority over SIDCER expenditures. The Project Manager reports to the Steering Committee on all incomes and expenses at least twice a year. A full independently audited annual accounting of SIDCER incomes and expenses is presented annually to the Annual General Meeting and the Director of TDR/WHO. An official annual accounting of SIDCER finances is maintained as a permanent record by the SIDCER Secretariat and made available for appropriate review by outside organizations as determined appropriate by TDR/WHO.