Ethics Committee

Tasks of the Committee

The task of the THL Ethics Committee is to provide assessments of the further use of previously collected research data.

Secondary use of social and health data collected with consent

The authority deciding on a data permit may require the applicant to request an ethical assessment by the THL Ethics Committee when: 

  • a data permit is requested for data collected based on consent before 1 May 2019, and
  • a data permit decision needs to be supported by an assessment of whether the planned purpose and disclosure of the data corresponds with the purposes for which the data have been originally provided.

Section 60(4) of the Act on the Secondary Use of Health and Social Data (552/2019)

Transfer of significant research data to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare

Certain data sets of particular significance for the well-being or health of the population and related research can be transferred to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare for use in research activities. The transfer of the research data requires a positive statement on the disclosure of the data by the THL Ethics Committee.

Section 5 f (26.4.2019/553) of the Act on the National Institute for Health and Welfare (668/2008)

What sorts of issues are not processed by THL Ethics Committee

  • The THL Ethics Committee is not an ethics committee referred to in the Medical Research Act (488/1999) and does not therefore assess medical research projects.
  • The Ethics Committee will not assess non-medical research projects unless this is an assessment of the further use of previously collected research data included in the committee’s tasks. The THL working group on research ethics will process requests for statements for non-medical research conducted at THL. 
  • The Ethics Committee does not assess the secondary use of social and health data collected with consent if the authority deciding on the data permit has not required an assessment used as the basis for its data permit decision.
  • The Ethics Committee does not provide separate advice and guidance to researchers.

Instructions for data permit applicants

If the data permit authority has required that the applicant request an ethical assessment from the THL Ethics Committee, the applicant must submit the following documents to the Ethics Committee in Finnish or English:

  • A cover letter that includes
    • the title of the study
    • the principal investigator and other researchers involved in the study 
    • the purpose and duration of the study
    • the purpose for which an assessment is sought from the Ethics Committee  
  • Research proposal that includes or has an appendix that indicates:  
    • An abstract
    • An assessment by the principal investigator stating the grounds on which the research data preciously collected based on consent conforms to this consent in the investigator’s research project and which ethical aspects are relevant in this context
    • Data collected in the study and their data sources
    • Cover letters/information sheets and consent documents provided to research participants, both from the old research data for which the permit is sought and the applicant’s own research project. If relevant, a description must be provided of the procedure used in informing minors or persons without legal capacity and related documents.
    • Copies of previous statements (e.g. regional ethics committee, ethical bodies of universities, working groups on research ethics).

The documents and their appendices are sent to eettinentoimikunta(at)thl.fi at the latest one week before the committee meeting.

The secretary of the Ethics Committee will send an extract from the minutes to the applicant by email as soon as possible, but no later than ten days after the processing. 

Contact information

Committee’s group email: eettinentoimikunta(at)thl.fi

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