Institutional Review Committee for Health Research
Pokhara University Research Center oversees the ethical concerns about the health research conducted by the faculty members and students of Pokhara University. The Institutional Review Committee for health research (IRCHR) is a dedicated committee established according to the Institutional Review Committee guidelines of National Health Research Council (NHRC). The structure, formation, processes, operation, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) of PU IRC are explicitly guided by the NHRC guidelines, particularly the National Ethical Guidelines for Health Research in Nepal and Guidelines for Institutional Review Committees for Health Research in Nepal. The key objective of IRC is to protect the rights and ensure welfare of human participants involved in the health research conducted in Pokhara University, both constituent and affiliated institutions.
Structure of Institutional Review Committee
The IRC comprises minimum of 7 to a maximum of 15 persons including a Chairperson and a Member Secretary. As per the NHRC IRC guidelines, experts and experienced personals from the diverse disciplines serve the IRC including Public health/Epidemiology/Research methodology, Biomedical/Laboratory science, Clinical science, Nursing, Behavioral and social sciences, Biostatistics, Pharmacy/Pharmacologist, and Law/Teaching/Journalism/ Community Leadership.
Role and Responsibility of Institutional Review Committee
- Oversee the ethical issues related to health research involving human participants and animals.
- Safeguard the rights, dignity, safety, and wellbeing of the research participants involved in the health research.
- Ensure the scientific quality and ethical standards of the health research as per the ethical guidelines of the Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC).
- Provide independent, competent, and timely review on the ethical aspects of the proposed research.
- Enforce and monitor the compliance of Health Research Ethical Guidelines and take necessary actions against violations.
Current Institutional Review Committee
| SN | Name | Portfolio | Expertise | Date of Appointment |
| 1 | Niranjan Shrestha, MSc, PhD Associate Professor, School of Health and Allied Sciences, Pokhara University |
Chairperson | Biostatistics | Jan 06, 2021 |
| 2 | Raju Pandey, MSc, MPhil Assistant Professor, School of Health and Allied Sciences, Pokhara University |
Member | Biochemistry | Jan 06, 2021 |
| 3 | Pooja Bhandari, MSc Assistant Professor, School of Health and Allied Sciences, Pokhara University |
Member | Nursing | Jan 06, 2021 |
| 4 | Nand Ram Gahatraj, MPH Assistant Professor, School of Health and Allied Sciences, Pokhara University |
Member | Public Health | Jan 06, 2021 |
| 5 | Chiranjivi Adhikari, MPH, MEd Assistant Professor, School of Health and Allied Sciences, Pokhara University |
Member | Public Health | Jan 30, 2024 |
| 6 | Nim Bahadur Dangi, MPharm Assistant Professor, School of Health and Allied Sciences, Pokhara University |
Member | Pharmaceutical Sciences | Jan 30, 2024 |
| 7 | Pradeep Kafle, MBBS, MS Assistant Professor, Pokhara University Teaching Hospital, Pokhara University |
Member | Orthopedics | Jan 30, 2024 |
| 8 | Tej Narayan Parajuli, MBA Associate Administrator, Pokhara University |
Member | Finance | Jan 30, 2024 |
| 9 | Alisha Regmi, Assistant Professor, Himalayan Eye Institute, Pokhara | Member | Optometry | Mar 19, 2024 |
| 10 | Suresh Jaiswal, MSc, PhD Assistant Professor, School of Health and Allied Sciences, Pokhara University |
Member Secretary | Microbiology | Jan 30, 2024 |
Previous Institutional Review Committee
Application for Ethical Approval
- Application for the Ethical Approval
- Ethical Approval Fee structure and Account Number
- Ethical Approval Document Checklist
- Ethical Approval Proposal Format