Ethical Evaluation Research Articles

Empowerment and connection

This poster showcases a case study of an Australian higher education institution’s artificial intelligence (AI) literacy staff development program. It offers practical suggestions to ASCILITE attendees on how to empower academic and professional staff to navigate the unknown terrain of generative AI collaboratively and responsibly. Since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, higher education institutions have been grappling with its impact on assessment, teaching and learning, and the world of work (CRADLE Blog, 2023) -culminating in the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) Request for Information (RFI) about how institutions will engage with AI and secure course integrity (TEQSA, 2024). Effective institutional responses to TEQSA’s RFI are predicated on staff at all levels rapidly developing their AI literacy in order to conceptualise and implement the curriculum and assessment changes required. AI literacy is generally accepted to include understanding of AI tools and how they work, discussion of ethical and societal implications and critical evaluation of their outputs, and competency in integration of AI ethically and effectively into daily practice (Chan & Colloton, 2024; Hibbert, Melanie et al., 2024; Hillier, 2023). This poses a significant challenge for institutions because of rapidly evolving AI tools and the diverse capabilities and starting points of large staff cohorts, including among third space support staff responsible for implementation. ECU's evolving strategy for building organisational capacity in AI literacy is outlined in this poster. The approach, which aligns with ECU’s Framework and Guidelines for Ethical and Productive Use of AI (Edith Cowan University, 2023), is designed to empower and enable staff. It intentionally incorporates connectivist and constructivist learning theories, informed by Fink's Taxonomy of Significant Learning (Fink, 2013) and Miller's Pyramid (Miller, 1990). This meant (a) providing essential foundational knowledge about AI, (b) developing practical skills through hands-on experience and exploration, and (c) fostering collective capability through sharing and collaboration. These efforts complemented initiatives to support student AI literacy through similar impactful interventions (Sullivan et al., 2024). In 2024, ECU implemented the following activities to support academic and professional staff: “AI 101” Canvas site: Covers how AI works, ethical and societal considerations, and AI in learning and teaching. “Explore AI” workshops: Focused on practical exploration of AI tools that generate both text and images, as well as ethics, research and assessment. “AI Digest” Viva Engage Community: Provides regular updates about AI. Generative AI tools: A series of tools for trials e.g., custom chatbots and image generators. Workshops co-designed with Schools: Explores generative AI in discipline-specific ways (including arts, humanities, business, law and performing arts) Despite currently being voluntary, these initiatives have received strong engagement and positive feedback to date. For example, all respondents to the Explore AI Session feedback forms said they would recommend the sessions to colleagues. 331 academic and professional staff have engaged with the AI 101 Canvas site so far, spending a median of 3 hours and 5 minutes in the course. 74% of the 50 respondents to the AI 101 evaluation form stated that their confidence levels improved after completing the course. ECU continues to iteratively improve its AI literacy offerings and expand staff engagement, collectively making sense of generative AI and its effects as an institution.

The Contribution of Applicable Smart and Sustainable Technologies in Recreation to City Happiness

We are aware that the efficient use of time is important for individuals. However, the fact that urban dwellers trying to live in cities have limited free time to spare for themselves creates difficulties in terms of the development of social well-being. The presence of technology, which has recently developed in the world, in our individual lives is indisputable. However, the long transportation times of individuals living in the city during the day is an important factor that causes the lack of free time periods. Matching the presence of technology with smart equipment that urban dwellers can enjoy and use in a sustainable way at appropriate points in cities will contribute to the happiness of society. This formation will actually provide us with the opportunity to transform technological renewal in cities into happy cities. For this reason, both the concrete existence of the concepts of smart city and happy city in 4 major cities of the world (Istanbul, Indiana, Amsterdam, Shanghai) and their reflections on the city dwellers are examined. Through interviews with the relevant people who serve the concepts of smart designs, technologies, recreational equipment and happy cities in the cities and concrete data, comparative sources of information on recreational technologies, sustainable and happy cities are provided. These sources consist of people who provide services on recreational technologies and services in the mentioned cities. The purpose of the sample group is to obtain information about city recreational technology studies from people who serve recreational city technologies, as well as to examine their views on city technologies and city happiness. In our study; the reflected and measurable (United Nations World Happiness Reports) dimensions of the concept of happy city are tried to be put forward in a scientific sense by comparing the examples created in cities and their reflections. In my 3rd TİK report on the thesis, the purpose of the study, the research model, the tools used to obtain data in the research, purposive sampling, research reliability, analysis, thematic coding information, ethical evaluation and the sample group information of this study applied online to 4 countries in 3 different continents, the table of research cities information and the findings (maxqda maps) graphics were added. In addition, general information about the concepts of leisure, recreation, smart city and happy city, which constitute the main theme of the research, is included.

Zeolites – tabletting ibuprofen with and without zeolites as an excipient

Abstract Introduction Drug delivery via the oral route is a patient and industry-preferred approach. However, maintaining plasma concentrations of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) within the therapeutic window can be challenging with immediate-release (IR) tablets. To avoid the plasma peaks and troughs associated with IR tablets, sustained release (SR) formulations have been investigated. Zeolites are microporous aluminosilicate minerals that represent a novel tabletting material with the potential for modifying drug release due to their unique adsorption and ion exchange properties1. Aim This study will investigate the potential for inclusion of zeolites within orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) and assessment of their ability to modify API release. Methods In-house, 50%w/w ibuprofen (IBU)-loaded ODTs (IHODTs) were prepared from Pearlitol® Flash, magnesium (Mg) stearate and 2 different zeolites (CP814C and CP814E), incorporated at 5%w/w each, using a manual tablet press. Formulations were prepared and mixed for 10 minutes in a cube mixer prior to direct compression (DC) into tablets. Physical characteristics of the tablets were assessed by hardness and friability measurements. Tablet quality was assessed by disintegration and dissolution analysis to British Pharmacopeia (BP) standards2. Release profiles were assessed against various models to determine the effect of zeolites on the release of IBU. Formulations were further examined and characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. An ethics evaluation was completed, and the study was identified as not having any ethical considerations by the University of South Wales. Results The mean weight of blank ODTs was found to be 225.3mg, with a mean thickness of 3.65mm, diameter of 8.10mm, hardness of 43.9±9.2N (mean±SD, n=5) and friability of 0.2±0.2% (mean±SD, n=3). The hardness of IHODTs was found to be 59.98±1.6N, reducing to 54.9±4.3N and 43.4±0.7N (mean±SD, n=3) with the inclusion of CP814C and CP814E, respectively. The friability of IHODTs containing zeolites was 1.76±0.4% and 1.91±0.9N (mean±SD, n=3), for CP814C and CP814E, respectively; conforming to BP specification2. The disintegration time for all in-house tablets, both with and without a zeolite included, was found to be an order of magnitude greater than commercial ODTs (CT) controls, but all remained within the BP specification2. The release of IBU from IHODTs and CTs showed good correlation to the first-order release model (R2 = 0.96 and 0.98, respectively), indicating IR behaviour. Similarly, the release of IBU from IHODTs containing zeolites was shown to correlate best with the first-order release model, R2 = 0.91 for CP814C and R2 = 0.90 for CP814E, respectively. SEM analysis suggested a homogeneous blend of components within IHODTs, whilst EDX analysis indicated the presence of silicon and aluminium from zeolites, and Mg and carbon from Mg stearate and IBU, respectively. Discussion / Conclusion This study investigated the effect of zeolite inclusion on the release properties of ODTs containing IBU. Although the quality of ODTs containing zeolites was not compromised, this study suggests that inclusion of a zeolite by DC only, does not significantly modify the release profile. Future studies are required to ascertain whether zeolites can achieve SR from ODTs using alternative API loading approaches, such as solvent loading1.

Study of the Framework and Attributes of Ethical Standards in Journalism

It has always been difficult to create fair evaluation criteria for journalists, especially when it comes to judging morality and ethical conduct in news reporting. These guidelines function as yardsticks for gauging the ethics of news topics and the objectivity of journalistic techniques. These criteria are becoming more and more difficult as journalism changes, especially in the digital age. Fostering ethical journalism requires an understanding of its categorization and internal structure. This analysis employs a conceptual framework to explore the evaluation standards of news ethics. The method involves: Literature Review: Examining existing academic literature, ethical codes, and industry guidelines to outline the prevailing evaluation standards in journalism. Thematic Analysis: Identifying and categorizing the components of evaluation standards into normative and quality standards, assessing their relevance to different aspects of journalistic practice. Case Studies: Analyzing specific instances where journalistic ethics were put to the test, allowing for a practical understanding of how these standards function in real-world scenarios. The primary objective of this study is to clarify the internal structure of journalistic ethics evaluation standards and highlight the distinctions between normative and quality standards. By doing so, the analysis aims to provide insights into how these standards can be effectively applied to evaluate news behaviors and moral character in journalism. What is deemed ethical in one context may not hold the same weight in another. This relativity underscores the importance of understanding the specific circumstances surrounding journalistic practices. Historical Context: The evolution of journalistic ethics is tied to historical events and societal changes. Standards that once sufficed may need reevaluation to address contemporary challenges, particularly with the rise of digital media and misinformation. Complex Internal Structure: The internal structure of evaluation standards can be multi-layered, with different levels of criteria applied depending on the context and specific ethical dilemmas faced by journalists. This complexity requires continuous dialogue and adjustment as new ethical challenges arise. Practical Implications: Journalists and media organizations must engage with these standards actively, incorporating them into training and policy development. By fostering an understanding of both normative and quality standards, the industry can promote a more ethical and accountable journalism practice.

Ethical Implications of Social Science Research on Xenotransplantation.

Social science research has generated extensive knowledge on xenotransplantation, encompassing the perspectives of actual and potential patients, other stakeholders, public opinion and debate, human-animal relationships, animal production and husbandry, bioeconomy, as well as biotechnology governance and regulation. We therefore convened social science researchers to discuss the latest developments in xenotransplantation research and practice in late 2023. Based on a brief workshop report, we aim to highlight the various ethical implications of this debate. After outlining the role of social science research in the ethical evaluation of xenotransplantation, we elaborate three critical points that may become pivotal in the future evolution of xenotransplantation: the framing of xenotransplantation in the clinical setting and in the public, the potential impact of religious beliefs on patients' transplant choices, and the consequences for the allotransplantation system if xenotransplantation becomes clinically established, including the allocation of allo- and xeno-organs.

Medical futility at the end of life: the first qualitative study of ethical decision-making methods among Turkish doctors

BackgroundThe swift advancement of intensive care medicine, coupled with technological possibilities, has prompted numerous ethical inquiries regarding decision-making processes concerning the withholding or withdrawal of treatment due to medical futility. This study seeks to delineate the decision-making approaches employed by intensive care physicians in Türkiye when faced with medical futility at the end of life, along with an ethical evaluation of these practices.MethodsGrounded theory, a qualitative analysis method was employed, conducting semi-structured, in-depth interviews with eleven intensive care physicians in Türkiye. The subsequent text analysis was carried out using MAXQDA software.ResultsParticipants assert that the decisions made by Turkish physicians determine whether treatment is futile, rely on medical consensus, and lack a standardized decision-making process. The decisions are influenced by legal and social pressures, resource constraints, and occasional conflicts of interest. The significance of professional hierarchy is notable, with limited consideration given to the opinions of nurses and other staff. The unstructured medical consensus processes are shaped by normative concepts such as benefit, age, justice, and conscience. Furthermore, it was observed that the conscientious opinions of physicians carry more weight than adherence to ethical principles and guidelines.ConclusionTo create optimal conditions for doctors to make ethically justifiable decisions, the dynamics within the treatment team should be improved, emphasizing the minimization of hierarchy, and ensuring the active participation of all team members in the decision-making process. Additionally, efforts should be directed toward narrowing the gap between the conscience of the individual doctor and established ethical principles. A potential solution lies in the nationwide implementation of clinical ethics committees and the establishing of clinical ethics guidelines, aiming to address, and overcome the identified challenges.

Research on the Construction of Teacher Ethics and Conduct in Higher Education from an Evaluation Perspective: A Case Study of Province S

Teachers are the primary resource for educational development, and teacher ethics is the first standard for evaluating the quality of the teaching workforce. The state have always placed great importance on the work of teacher ethics and conduct. This paper, taking Province S as a case study, explores the evaluation mechanisms for teacher ethics in higher education. On the premise of clarifying the importance and urgency of teachers' ideological and political work, the paper delves into the significance of the evaluation system for teacher ethics and conduct in universities, summarizes key areas and challenges of teacher ethics assessments, and provides countermeasures for improving these mechanisms. Additionally, it discusses the current state of the teacher ethics evaluation system in higher education, analyzes its root issues, and explores improvements in content, methods, mechanisms, and the utilization of results, with the aim of strengthening the effectiveness of ideological and political work for university teachers and constructing a comprehensive framework for "large-scale ideological and political work."

Ethical design through grounding and evaluation: The EDGE method for designing information systems for social impact

The development of effective socio-technical information systems requires designers to balance ethical goals with functional capabilities and business objectives. To address this challenge, we propose EDGE, a novel ethical design method that focuses on two key activities in the systems development process—ethical grounding and evaluation of ethical impacts. We provide an empirical example of the EDGE method by applying it to the redesign of a sustainable application in the energy industry. This empirical example reveals the need for ethical clarity to ground and evaluate the app to achieve improved ethical performance and social impacts. We conclude with the implications of the new ethical design method and future research directions for its application and enhancement.

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in healthcare and considerations for nursing education

Aim/objectiveTo review the current AI applications in healthcare and explore the implications for nurse educators in innovative integration of this technology in nursing education and training programs. BackgroundThere are a variety of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications currently supporting patient care in many healthcare settings. A nursing workforce that leverages healthcare technology to enhance efficiency and accuracy of patient health outcomes is necessary. Nurse educators must understand the various uses of AI applications in healthcare to equip themselves to effectively prepare students to use the applications. DesignQualitative synthesis and analysis of existing literature. MethodsGenerative AI (ChatGPT) was used to support the development of a list of the current AI applications in healthcare. Each application was evaluated for relevance and accuracy. A literature review to define and understand the use of each application in clinical practice was completed. The search terms “AI” and “Health Education” were used to review the literature for evidence on educational programs used for training learners. ResultsTen current applications of AI in healthcare were identified and explored. There is little evidence that outlines how to integrate AI education into educational training for nurses. ConclusionA comprehensive multimodal educational approach that uses innovative learning strategies has potential to support the integration of AI concepts into nursing curriculum. The use of simulation and clinical practicum experiences to support experiential learning and to offer opportunities for practical application and training. Considerations for ethical use and appropriate critical evaluation of AI applications are necessary.

Etiological diagnosis of prostatitis: current methods and ethical evaluation

The incidence of acute and chronic bacterial prostatitis in the juvenile and adult population is steadily increasing. This phenomenon is related to changing sexual habits. The clinical diagnosis of acute prostatitis is quite simple, both because of the characteristic symptomatology (fever with chills, sacral rachialgia, perineal pain) and the semeiological data of the rectal exploration. Prostate ultrasound may finally help to settle a doubt.

An Evaluation of the Technical Review Process of the UP PGH Department of Medicine.

The technical review process involves an evaluation of the scientific merits of the research proposal and is a necessary part of the ethics review but can be done separately and ahead of the formal ethics evaluation. The aim of this paper is to determine the efficiency and quality of the technical review process of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Department of Medicine Research Office. This is a cross-sectional study which involved retrieval of the technical review forms of protocols evaluated in the PGH Department of Medicine from the years 2018-2019, and then an evaluation of these metrics: timelines of the review process indicating efficiency, including time from (1) receipt of submission to receipt of reviewer (secretariat efficiency); (2) receipt of reviewer to first decision (reviewer metric); (3) initial receipt to final decision (total review time); and (4) number of re-submissions. To evaluate the quality of the reviews, the specific review findings in each part or section of the protocol were also extracted. In the years 2018-2019, a total of 199 protocols underwent technical review, with one protocol having no further data after the submission so only 198 proposals were analyzed. Majority of the protocols or 139/198 (70.2%) were submitted only once and were approved without comments, while the remaining 59/198 (29.8%) were submitted twice for technical review (mode of 1, mean of 1.32). The protocols were sent to the reviewers within the same day of receipt 100% of the time. The time from receipt of submission to receipt of reviewer was within the same day and the time from receipt of reviewer to first decision (mean, standard deviation working days) was 10.52, 8.54 days, range 0-51 days. Around one-fourth (21.51%) of the protocols were returned to the secretariat beyond the 14-working day deadline. The time from second review of technical reviewer to return to secretariat was a mean, SD of 6.72, 6.45 days, with a range of 1 day to 36 days, and time from initial receipt to final decision was a mean of 16.16 days, SD 18.3 days, range 0-111 days. The most common reason for the delay was the failure of the author to resubmit the paper for the second review in 17/23 (74%), while the other reason was the long duration of the initial review by the reviewer in 6/23 (26%). Half of the protocols (49.5%) were returned without comments. Majority of the comments were on the methodology. The technical review process is generally efficient with each step within the acceptable timelines. However, for 12% of the protocols, the over-all review process was still prolonged (>28 working days) because of the failure of the author to submit the paper for the second review in 74% of cases, and the long duration of the initial review in 26% of papers.

Acceptable finger pointing: How evaluators judge the ethicality of blame shifting

AbstractResearch shows how blame shifting deemed unethical by evaluators leads to a damaging reputational backlash. Yet, scholars have not determined how evaluators judge if blame‐shifting messages are ethical. To fill this gap, we develop a conceptual model of evaluators' judgments of blame‐shifting ethicality, integrating insights from ethical decision‐making and the ethics of blame. The ethical evaluation of blame shifting is based on perceptions of target blameworthiness, the motives of the blamer, and message fairness. These three perceptions explain the evaluators' judgment of whether blame shifting is ethical. Furthermore, the model explains why at times evaluators fail to develop a detailed ethical evaluation of the message. Organizational blame shifting in these circumstances can be effective and yet unethical because evaluators do not cognitively process the relevant ethical factors. This article contributes to research on blame shifting by explaining how evaluators judge ethicality and examining the conditions for ethical blame shifting.

Exploring the impact of a dualistic model of harmony on sustainable consumption behavior: the mediating role of ethical evaluation

Exploring the impact of a dualistic model of harmony on sustainable consumption behavior: the mediating role of ethical evaluation

Ethical Evaluation and Optimization of Artificial Intelligence Algorithms Based on Self Supervised Learning

Ethical Evaluation and Optimization of Artificial Intelligence Algorithms Based on Self Supervised Learning

Developing educational serious games as a proposal for university training in the area of Child Computer Interaction

Training in the area of CCI has become a current topic of debate. It is necessary to address the specificities related to this target audience in terms of ethical aspects, evaluation techniques and instruments and the appropriate approach to content, forms of interaction, among others. This work focuses on a project-based learning experience that is being developed with students in the area of computer science, who work on the development of educational serious games aimed at children. Different axes related to CCI training and educational game design are approached in a phase-based process and an analysis of cognitive residues that are addressed is also included. The project developed in 2023, related to healthy eating, is presented as an example of the experiences carried out with students. The results indicate that this type of proposals are attractive and motivating for the students involved, who participate in real projects with stakeholders and children.

Workplace ethical climate and its relationship with depression, anxiety and stress.

Ethical climate in the workplace has been highlighted to have an important impact on workers' mental health; the evaluation of workplace ethics and its impact on workers' health should be considered an occupational health issue. The present study aims to investigate ethical climate as perceived by workers, and its correlation with mental health outcomes, in particular, symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. A cross-sectional study was performed by administering an online survey, investigating socio-demographic variables, workplace ethics (through the Italian short version of the Corporate Ethical Virtues questionnaire) and mental health outcomes (using the short version of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale). Descriptive analyses, analyses of variance and regression models were performed; P-values were considered significant for values ≤0.05. The sample included 176 workers; the mean age of participants was 46.22 years and 44% were males. The most represented job sector was health care (37%), and 42% of participants had college-level education. Ethical climate was significantly correlated with all mental health outcomes investigated in the study: anxiety (P ≤ 0.001), depression (P ≤ 0.05) and stress (P ≤ 0.05). Results from this study highlighted a significant correlation between workplace ethical climate and depression, anxiety and stress. This study underlines the importance of evaluating and improving ethical climate to prevent the onset of psychological distress in workers. Furthermore, results from this study should be a starting point for future research investigating the role of ethics and mental health in employees' turnover intention and job satisfaction.

Exploring generative AI literacy in higher education: student adoption, interaction, evaluation and ethical perceptions

Purpose Current knowledge and research on students’ utilization and interaction with generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in their academic work is limited. This study aims to investigate students’ engagement with these tools. Design/methodology/approach This research used survey-based research to investigate generative AI literacy (utilization, interaction, evaluation of output and ethics) among students enrolled in a four-year public university in the southeastern USA. This article focuses on the respondents who have used generative AI (218; 47.2%). Findings Most respondents used generative AI to generate ideas for papers, projects or assignments, and they also used AI to assist with their original ideas. Despite their use of AI assistance, most students were critical of generative AI output, and this mindset was reflected in their reported interactions with ChatGPT. Respondents expressed a need for explicit guidance from course syllabi and university policies regarding generative AI’s ethical and appropriate use. Originality/value Literature related to generative AI use in higher education specific to ChatGPT is predominantly from educators’ viewpoints. This study provides empirical evidence about how university students report using generative AI in the context of generative AI literacy.

Exploring Evaluation Language in the Conclusion chapter of MA Dissertations: Analyzing of Iraqi EFL Learners' Writings

One of the most important functions of language for writers is to communicate their opinions or thoughts about people or things. Thus, in academic writing, a writer must be able to use evaluative and interactive language. In this study, we focus on the use of evaluative language, appraisals, in academic writings that were conducted by Iraqi EFL writers, as captured by appraisal theory (Martin & White 2005). We are interested in how those writers express evaluative meanings in their work. This study focuses on Attitude, one of the three subsystems of the Appraisal Theory. The results showed that Iraqi writers used more Appreciation resources than Judgment and Affect. This fact informs us that those writers chose to reveal less personal feelings and avoid clear ethical or moral evaluation.

Umgang mit KI-Robotern: maschinelle Übersetzer, Textgeneratoren, Chatbots & Co – Eine empirische Studie bei Erstsemester Studierenden

Artificial Intelligence (AI) increasingly influences people's lives by fostering enhanced interaction between humans and machines (Kim, 2022). AI robots are considered agents that undertake tasks traditionally performed by humans through AI programming. There are two categories of AI robots: those with human-like performance and those with human-like appearance for social interaction. Based on this concept, seven specific use cases were developed for this study. An online survey conducted among students (N = 636) in September 2022 (shortly before the release of ChatGPT) examined both the frequency of usage and the ethical evaluation of each of the seven use cases by students. Additionally, a risk and an opportunity index were formed to assess students' general perception of AI. The perceived risks outweigh the recognized opportunities. The frequency of students' usage of AI robot types is generally considered relatively low. The acceptance of ethical principles varies depending on the kind of AI robot, with students particularly valuing fairness for AI robots involved in (human-like) text generation and transparency for AI robots engaged in human-like social interactions.

Ethical regulation of biomedical research in Brazil: a quality improvement initiative

BackgroundQ-CEP (Qualificação dos Comitês de Ética em Pesquisa que compõem o Sistema CEP/Conep) is a nationwide project resulting from a partnership between the Brazilian National Research Ethics Commission (Conep), the Ministry of Health and Hospital Moinhos de Vento (HMV). It was developed to consolidate policy for ethical review of research with human beings in all members of the CEP/Conep System, Brazil’s national system of institutional review boards. The aim of this study was therefore to report on the experience and results of the Q-CEP project.MethodsAn observational, retrospective study includes data from the Q-CEP, obtained from visits to all the institutional research ethics committees (RECs) in the country. The actions implemented by Q-CEP were part of a two-step process: (i) training visits to each REC; (ii) development of distance learning modules on strategic topics pertaining to research ethics evaluation. The data presented herein cover step one (training visits), defined by Q-CEP as the diagnostic stage of the project. For a country with social and economics inequalities such as Brazil, this is a particularly important stage; an accurate picture of reality is needed to inform planning of quality improvement strategies.ResultsIn 2019–2021, Q-CEP visited 832 RECs and trained 11,197 people. This sample covered almost all active RECs in the country; only 4 (0.5%) were not evaluated. Of the 94 items evaluated, 62% did not reach the target of at least 80% compliance and around 1/4 (26%) were below 50% compliance. The diagnostic stage of the process revealed inadequacies on the part of the RECs in their ethical reviews. The analysis of informed consent forms showed compliance in only 131 RECs (15.74%). The description of pending issues made by RECs in their reports was compliant in 19.33% (n = 161). Administrative and operational aspects were also considered inadequate by more than half of the RECs.ConclusionsOverall, Brazilian RECs showed poor compliance in several aspects of their operation, both in ethics evaluation and in other processes, which justifies additional training. The Q-CEP project is part of a quality improvement policy promoted by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The data obtained in the diagnostic step of the project have contributed to the qualification and consolidation of one of the world’s largest research ethics evaluation systems.