Medical Research Committee

The mission of Sheikh Khalifa medical city (SKMC) is to meet international standards of Excellency in medical practice and clinical research, fundamental to the mission of The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Basic research involves experiments and studies that occur in a laboratory setting. Clinical trials, on the other hand, rely on the participation of human volunteers in order to answer questions about treatments for diseases and conditions.

In general, clinical trials are used to test the general safety and effectiveness of drugs and medical procedures in a human population. This ongoing collaboration between physician investigators and study volunteers is one of the foundations of modern healthcare, because clinical trials help set the standards for patient care. There are potential benefits, as well, for clinical trial volunteers. For instance, volunteers with existing diseases or conditions can play a more active role in their own healthcare, gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available, and help others by contributing to medical research.

In this respect, SKMC has ongoing clinical trials and research projects.

As stipulated by hospital law, every clinical trial at SKMC must be approved and monitored by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), also known as the SKMC Research Committee. This committee is composed of an independent group of physicians, other care professionals, community advocates, and others whose objective is to ensure that a clinical trial is ethical and the rights of study participants are protected.

The research committee also ensures that research consent is obtained, appropriate procedures are followed and that the risks involved in participating in a trial are significantly outweighed by the potential benefits.  The main objective is to assure that all steps are taken to maximize patient safety.

If you have questions about your rights as a research subject, you can contact the Chair of the Research Committee at SKMC Dr. Ali Khalil  at 02-6102328.