June 13, 2025 – Winnipeg, Manitoba
Defining Health Research for RITHIM
Over the course of the last year, Research Manitoba has been working with our stakeholders to define the scope of health research that will be directed to RITHIM for review. With this in mind, the upcoming full launch of RITHIM and the CHIPER provincial health research ethics committee will involve some changes for researchers in determining the appropriate research ethics board (REB) for review of their research projects.
With Health Research now being reviewed by RITHIM, a definition which aligns with ethical, regulatory, and practical considerations has been established.
Projects that fall within any of the following categories are considered Health Research falling under the RITHIM streamlined approval process.
- Access to Personal Health Information: Studies requiring access to clinical or administrative databases held by trustees in Manitoba, including government agencies.
- Data from the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP): Research utilizing MCHP data resources.
- Recruitment within the Public Health System: Studies involving active or passive recruitment of patients, clients, health care staff, students, or the use of health care resources such as MRI facilities or clinical space.
- Biomedical or Invasive Interventions: Research incorporating biomedical or invasive measures.
- Human Biological Materials Collection & Use: Studies collecting, using, or retaining human biological materials, including tissue, organs, blood, plasma, serum, DNA, RNA, proteins, cells, and other bodily substances.
- Research Registries & Biobanks: Projects aimed at creating or expanding health-related research registries or biobanks for future research purposes.
- Human Participants & Health-Focused Research: Investigations involving human participants, personal health information, or human biological materials where the primary purpose is to advance human health, health care, and health systems (excluding research primarily designed to enhance medical education).
Routing Questions that align with the categories described above can be found on the RITHIM website at https://www.rithim.ca/harmony-routing
These questions are intended to guide researchers to the most appropriate REB for review. In addition to the available website guidance, a RITHIM Consultation is available within Harmony. Here RITHIM staff are available to consult with researchers in making a determination as to the most appropriate REB for their project should there be uncertainty.