June 4, 1993
CHANCELLORS
LABORATORY DIRECTORS
Dear Colleagues:
The enclosed University of California Policy on Gender and Ethnicity Representation in Health Research is effective immediately.
This Policy is consistent with the University Policy on the Protection of Human Subjects in Research, issued September 2, 1981; as well as the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects; the National Institutes of Health and the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (NIH/ADAMHA) Policy Concerning Inclusion of Minorities and Women as Subjects in Research; and California Assembly Bill 2005 on Health Research, which requested the University to adopt a policy on the inclusion of women and minorities in study populations.
The enclosed Policy incorporates suggestions from extensive campus, Laboratory, the Office of the President, and Academic Senate review and discussion. The Policy should be widely disseminated, particularly to faculty and other investigators engaged in health research using human subjects. Thank you for your advice and cooperation in developing this Policy.
Sincerely,
J.W. Peltason
University of California
Office of the President
June 4, 1993
POLICY ON GENDER AND ETHNICITY
REPRESENTATION IN HEALTH RESEARCH
It is the policy of the University of California that its health research as a whole, to the extent possible, be conducted so that the findings will be relevant to all persons at risk for the diseases, disorders, or conditions studied; and when possible and applicable, that minorities and women be included in studies of diseases, disorders, and conditions that disproportionately affect them. This Policy applies to all clinical research studies, which include biomedical and behavioral studies of the etiology, epidemiology, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of diseases, disorders, or conditions involving human subjects which are conducted, sponsored, or administered by the University of California.
The University of California also complies with the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects that governs selection of research subjects and with National Institutes of Health policy regarding gender and ethnic representation in research populations.
The University administers certain health research programs such as the Universitywide AIDS Research Program and the Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program. Proposals submitted to these Programs for research projects involving human subjects should contain a description of the proposed study population that includes information on its gender and ethnic composition, together with a rationale for the selection of this study population. Such a rationale might include, for example, the purposes of the research or consideration of the health of the subjects. Peer review panels for such special health research programs should consider the appropriateness of the composition of the research populations.
These University-administered health programs also are encouraged to provide opportunities for funding research projects relevant to diseases, disorders, or other health conditions of relevance to minorities and women.