Research Ethics Program

Canadian Blood Services and its independent Research Ethics Board (REB) review all studies involving human participants conducted by or on behalf of Canadian Blood Services, including studies involving personal information (data) or biologic materials (products) collected by Canadian Blood Services.

Investigators must submit an application to have their studies approved. The review process includes the following steps:​

  • Step 1: Approval by Canadian Blood Services.​
  • Step 2: Approval by Canadian Blood Services REB, if required. The REB has three scheduled meetings per year (in early June, October, and March). Additional reviews can be organized throughout the year, as needed.​
  • Step 3: Execution of an agreement between Canadian Blood Services and the Principal Investigator/Organization, if required.​

The decision to approve a study depends on the information provided in the application. Investigators must share any new knowledge that changes this information with Canadian Blood Services through an amendment. Investigators must also inform Canadian Blood Services of incidental findings and privacy breaches.