How to raise awareness of sex/gender in research
Our study will assess, over three years, whether different interventions targeting researchers and members of the seven Swiss Research Ethics Committees improve attention to sex and gender in research protocols submitted for ethical approval.
Project description
Recommendations by international and national health authorities and medical journals encourage to the systematic consideration of sex and gender in research. However, these are still poorly implemented in practice. Better incorporating sex and gender in research requires understanding the influence of both biological and social aspects in health. The project aims to assess the effect of interventions targeting researchers and ethics-committee members regarding incorporating sex/gender in research.
Research aim
Our study aims to evaluate the impact of different interventions designed to strengthen the incorporation of sex/gender by Swiss research ethics committees. We will evaluate whether – and why – there are more sex- and gender-inclusive approved research protocols after implementation of the interventions than before. The project is of interest to the scientific community and the general public, as it aims to generate more accurate and useful scientific knowledge for the benefit of public health.
Purpose
Better incorporation of sex and gender in research will improve the relevance, accuracy and equity of research findings, which are important for policy, healthcare, research and society in general. To implement the results, we need the strong support of all Swiss research ethics committees, swissethics and the main Swiss research stakeholders (including the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research and the Swiss Clinical Trial Organisation).
Original title
Gender Research Assessment at Committees of Ethics: Does the introduction of new recommendations and active communication improve the integration of sex and gender in the protocols submitted to research ethical committees? The GRACE mixed-approach study.