Community Advisory Board : CAB

Community Advisory Board (CAB)

Community Advisory Board (CAB) is established to ensure that the research studies concern about all aspects of communities’ needs related to the studies such as treatment, the study management and academic issues. CAB also allow communities to understand the research study processes and to provide advice and comments on the research studies, research methods, and other issues to the research studies such as ethics.

CAB of the Research Institute for Health Sciences (RIHES) was established in November 1999 to support the studies conducted at the institute. CAB consists of representatives of the government and private sectors, monks, and people with HIV/AIDS and the networks, representatives of several groups in the communities, study participants and, etc. RIHES currently has two CABs including

CAB Objectives

  1. To work as a link between communities, target groups in the communities and the research teams on the related research issues such as information about research study principals, information and news, new knowledge about AIDS, knowledge and understanding about the research studies conducted in the communities. To solve problems, and correct misunderstanding issues related to the research studies will be conducted in the communities.
  2. Provide ideas, comments related to the research studies that will be conducted including ethics, methods, forms, and benefits of the study participants.
  3. Help to spread correct information to mass media.

Roles and Duties of CABs

  • Provide ideas and information about the community believes.
  • Provides ideas and advice on drafting informed consent forms.
  • Provide ideas on how to reduce risk behaviors while conducting research studies.
  • Provide advice on how to distribute correct information related to the study and the study results throughout the communities.
  • Provide information about the research studies to communities and provide research teams with the information of the communities.
  • Build up trust between communities and researchers.
  • Maintain equality, fairness, and rights of the study participants.