Institutionalizing Research Ethics Consultation to Improve Quality and Efficiency of Ethics Review

Issue/problem

Delays and declining quality in ethics review remain major challenges in medical and public health research. Researchers often have limited understanding of ethical requirements, leading to repeated revisions and prolonged timelines. Support is dependent on individual expertise, resulting in inconsistent practices. These issues may compromise research quality and delay the generation of reliable evidence for public health decision-making. At our institution, approximately 2,500 ethics review cases and over 400 consultations are conducted annually, highlighting the need for structured support.

Description of the problem

To address these challenges, the Office for Human Research Studies was established at the University of Tokyo Faculty of Medicine, introducing a systematic research ethics consultation system as a policy initiative. Staffed by medical professionals, the system provides pre-review consultation and education and works closely with the Ethics Committee. It is integrated into the institutional research governance framework. The objective was to improve protocol quality before formal review and reduce inefficiencies in the ethics review process.

Effects/Changes

Annual consultations exceeded 400, demonstrating high demand and institutional integration. Preliminary findings indicate fewer revision cycles and shorter review timelines. Researchers also reported improved understanding of ethical requirements and greater confidence in protocol preparation, suggesting that early-stage support improves efficiency and quality.

Lessons

A high-volume, institutionalized, and integrated research ethics consultation model can transform ethics review from reactive to proactive. It reduces reliance on individual expertise and promotes standardized support. Early engagement improves efficiency and consistency, contributing to reliable research for public health decision-making. This model is transferable across settings to strengthen research governance.

Key messages

• Institutionalized research ethics consultation improves the efficiency and quality of ethics review by providing structured, early-stage support and reducing reliance on individual expertise.

• This high-volume, integrated model offers a scalable and transferable approach to strengthen research governance and enhance evidence generation for public health decision-making.