As early as 1997, the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, Inc.
(UERMMMCI) had an ethics review committee, which functioned under the Office of Research
Education and Development. In 1994, the Research Development Office was expanded and
renamed Research Institute for Health Sciences with Dr. Fernando S. Sanchez, Jr. as Director.
Two years later, the Ethics Review Committee (ERC) and the Technical Review Committee were
created, paving the way for what would be later formalized as the institution’s answer to
competent ethical practice in research. In 2011, the then Vice President for Research, Dr. Isaac
David Ampil II, appointed Dr. Jennifer Nailes as the Chair, who held the position until July 30, 2014.

On April 21, 2014, UERM RIHS Ethics Review Committee (ERC) submitted its application for
Level 3 and was officially granted the highest level of accreditation by the Philippine Health
Research Ethics Board (PHREB) and international recognition by the Forum for Ethical Review
Committees in the Asian and Western Pacific Regions (FERCAP), valid for a period of three
years, on November 25, 2014 at the 14th Forum for Ethical Review Committees in Asia and the
Western Pacific at the Taal Vista Hotel, Tagaytay City where Dr. Jose Ronilo Juangco was the
Chair from August 1, 2014 until August 31, 2017. During his term, ICH GCP training workshop
was conducted by the UERMMMCI Research Institute for Health Sciences to the residents and
consultants of UERMMMCI Medical Center.

In September 2017, Dr. Maria Milagros Magat was appointed by the Vice President for Research
Dr. Jennifer Nailes, as the Chair. During Dr. Magat’s term, the ERC submitted its application for
Level 3 reaccreditation to PHREB, which was granted on May 23, 2018 until May 22, 2022 during
the PNHRS Week Celebration in August 2018 at Camp John Hay, Baguio City. Dr. Magat
recommended additional members for the ERC in order to diversify the expertise of the
Committee.

In December 2021, the ERC submitted its application to PHREB for renewal of Level 3
accreditation and to FERCAP (Forum for Ethics Review Committee in Asia Pacific Region) for
Recognition. The Joint PHREB FERCAP survey was held on April 4 – 8, 2022 but due to the
pandemic, the survey was purely online platform. In view of the on-going process regarding the
UERM RIHS Ethics Review Committee (ERC)’s renewal of Level 3 Philippine Health Research
Ethics Board (PHREB) Accreditation and in order not to disrupt its ethical review responsibilities,
Level 3 PHREB Accreditation was extended on the following dates: May 23, 2022 until August
22, 2022 and August 23, 2022 until November 22, 2022.

In October 2022, the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB) has granted one (1)-year
Level 3 Accreditation to the UERM RIHS Ethics Review Committee (ERC) effective 05 October
2022 until 04 October 2023 while complying with the recommendations that must be addressed
to further improve the work of its ERC. Thus, Level 3 PHREB Accreditation was extended on the following
dates: October 05, 2023 until January 04, 2024 and January 05, 2024 until April 04, 2024.

In February 2024, the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB), upon the
recommendation of its Committee on Standards and Accreditation (CSA) hereby grants a three
(3)-year Level 3 Accreditation to the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical
Center, Inc. Research Institute for Health Sciences Ethics Review Committee (UERMMMCI RIHS
ERC) effective 20 February 2024 until 19 February 2027. The awarding was held during the
Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and
Development (DOST-PCHRD)’s 42nd Anniversary Celebration on 25 March 2024 at the Meeting
Room 1 (Jose Rizal Hall), Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Pasay City.

Currently, many of the former members of the original 2011-2012 ERC still serve on the
Committee.

Schedule of ERC Meetings is every 2nd Tuesday of the month except December.
Note: Cut-off time for submissions of protocols is 2 weeks before the next
scheduled ERC Full board Meeting.

Please send all soft copies of the required documents (refer to ERC Form 2B) to
ethicsreviewcommittee@uerm.edu.ph.

Note:
If it is incomplete, the Secretariat will not acknowledge the submission.