The Waterloo Wellington Research Ethics Board (WWREB) (formally known as the Tri-Hospital Research Ethics Board - THREB) provides ethical oversight for all research activities that involve human participants, their data and/or biological materials, conducted under the auspices of Cambridge Memorial Hospital, Grand River Hospital and St. Mary's General Hospital. All research conducted within or on behalf of the three institutions must be approved by WWREB before research may begin, with the exception of research reviewed by an alternate Board of Record (e.g. the Ontario Cancer Research Ethics Board).
Conducting Research at one or more of the Institutions:
Prior to the ethics review of a submission by WWREB, all new studies must undergo an administrative review at the hospital(s) where the study will be conducted. Please submit the complete application package to the applicable hospital research representative for administrative review. Once a submission has received administrative approval, it will be forwarded to WWREB.
Please refer to the Submission Checklist for new submission requirements
Each hospital has its own schedule for reviewing new studies. Please consult the applicable hospital research representative for their dates and deadlines.
Cambridge Memorial Hospital | Grand River Hospital | St. Mary's General Hospital |
Stephanie Pearsall Vice President Clinical Programs & Chief Nursing Executive 700 Coronation Boulevard, Cambridge, Ontario N1R 3G2 spearsall@cmh.org | Sarah Laferriere
Manager Research & Clinical Trials 835 King Street West, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 1G3 Telephone: 519-749-4300 extension 2876 sarah.laferriere@grhosp.on.ca research@grhosp.on.ca | Brittany Spadafore,
Research & Policy Development Specialist 911 Queen’s Blvd. Kitchener, Ontario N2M 1B2 bspadafo@smgh.ca |
WWREB Meeting Dates:
- WWREB meets the first Wednesday of every month from 12-1:30 pm. For studies requiring a full board review, a completed application package must be received by the second Wednesday of the month prior to the meeting date. Please plan sufficient time for your study to undergo Administrative and WWREB review.
- All other submissions (amendments, annual renewals, protocol deviations, study closures, etc) will be reviewed in order of receipt.
- These submissions should be sent to the WWREB Administrative Assistant, wwreb@grhosp.on.ca
Co-ordinated ethics review process between WWREB and University of Waterloo:
University of Waterloo researchers wishing to conduct research at any of the institutions must undergo a co-ordinated ethics review process. Full details can be found here.
Forms
WWREB requires electronic submission of materials. To provide sufficient time for review, completed application packages and other items for review must be received by the second Wednesday of the month prior to the WWREB meeting date. Please email an electronic copy of the submission to wwreb@grhosp.on.ca.
Application forms
- Submission Checklist
- Application Part 1 Administrative Approval form (version September 2023)
- Application Part 2 Project Review (version September 2023)
- Application for retrospective review of health records (version September 2023)
Forms for continuing review
- Annual Renewal Application Form (version September 2023)
- Amendment Application Form (version September 2023)
- Study Closure form (revised September 2023)
- Unanticipated problems - SAE report form (revised September 2023)
- Confidentiality agreements (revised September 2023)
- Change in Study Personnel Form (version September 2023)
- Protocol Deviation Form (version September 2023)
More information is available under the following links:
- General information and guidelines for investigators
- Meeting dates for 2024
- WWREB Review Fees
- Terms of reference
- Membership
- Procedures for renewal and continuing review (SOP#4.4)
- Procedures for reporting SAEs and unanticipated problems (SOP#4.5)
- Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS2) (opens in new window)
- Good Clinical Practice Guidelines (GCP) (opens in new window)
- Website to access TCPS2 Tutorial (opens in new window)
For more information, or to send an application and other forms, contact:
WWREB Administrative Coordinator
Waterloo Wellington Research Ethics Board
Grand River Hospital, Building - Forty Green, room K415,
835 King Street West, Kitchener, ON N2G 1G3
Phone: 519-749-4300, extension 5367 Fax: 519-749-4282
E-Mail: wwreb@grhosp.on.ca
The WWREB office functions virtually only.
You can reach the WWREB Chairperson wwreb@grhosp.on.ca