Page 40 - SAMRC Annual Performance Plan 2026-27
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PART B: SAMRC STRATEGIC FOCUS
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            9.3.7  International Partnership for Building      9.3.9  Research Integrity and Ethical Conduct
                    a Vaccine R&D and Manufacturing            The SAMRC is committed to foster research
                    Workforce for Africa the CSSFF-SAMRC       integrity  at  all  levels  and  firmly  supports  research
                    Capacity Development Programme             practices that reflect core values of respect, equity,
            The   Chan    Soon-Shiong   Family  Foundation     transparency,  scientific  merit  and  integrity,  justice,
            (CSSFF) and the South African Medical Research     beneficence and non-maleficence. To maintain the
            Council (SAMRC) have been collaborating on a       high standards of research practice, the SAMRC
            skills development programme aimed at young        upholds and adheres to the minimum national
            African candidates to build a skilled workforce to   benchmark of norms and standards for conducting
            develop and manufacture vaccines on the African    responsible and ethical research set by the National
            continent. Four cohorts of students have been      Health Research Ethics Council (NHREC) and other
            trained in biopharmaceutical manufacturing in the   applicable laws, regulations, policies, and practices.
            CSSFF-SAMRC Studentship Programme and further      The SAMRC further recognises the importance of the
            cohorts are benefiting from a variety of internship,   Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) and
            Masters and PhD programs supported under this      the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
            initiative. The CSSFF-SAMRC capacity development   Any information pertaining to natural persons is
            programme  aims  to grow  the  next generation of   processed in line with the eight conditions of lawful
            biopharmaceutical manufacturing professionals,     processing of personal information as outlined in
            researchers, and technical experts needed to       POPIA.
            establish an industry in South Africa.
                                                               The  SAMRC  has  two  ethics  committees,  namely
            9.3.8  Investing in Human Capital Development      Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) and
                    and Capacity in Health Care: Bongani
                    Mayosi National Health Scholars            Ethics Committee for Research on Animals (ECRA)
                    Programme                                  and they are tasked to provide competent and
            The NDOH and twenty-two (22) private companies,    timely prospective review for SAMRC’s intramural
            which include pharmaceutical, hospital diagnostic,   research proposals involving humans and animals
            corporate, healthcare supply chain, and medical    respectively. The SAMRC research ethics committees
            scheme administration disciplines, established a   will continue to review and monitor research to
            vehicle called a Public Health Enhancement Fund    ensure that (1) it adheres to the, in case of humans,
            (PHEF) to fund different programmes. The National   the  broad  ethical  principles  of  beneficence  and
            Health Scholars Programme (NHSP) is one such       non-maleficence,  distributive  justice  (equality)  and
            programme funded by PHEF to leverage and           respect for persons (dignity, autonomy and informed
            contribute to strengthening the health sector that   consent); and (2) in cases of research involving
            will lead to a stronger relationship between public   animals, it protects their welfare and interest, and
            and private sectors to the benefit of all the people   adheres  to  the  principles  of  reduction,  refinement
            of South Africa. NHSP is a partnership between the   and replacement, and responsibility.
            NDOH and PHEF and is a flagship PhD development    The South African research ecosystem has suffered
            programme and a national asset to advance the next   a devasting blow by the recent withdrawal of foreign
            generation of African Health and clinical scientist   funding, leading to stalling of critical research
            and  is  administered  by  the  SAMRC.  In  honour  of   for disease such as HIV, TB and other infectious
            one  of  the  major  contributions  towards  health   diseases.  “The  sudden  and  significant  reductions
            transformation, Professor Mayosi was honoured      to effective existing programs that support service
            for his immense contributions and lasting legacy   delivery and research are immoral and unethical,
            by renaming the NHSP “Bongani Mayosi National      leaving stakeholders, including the South African
            Health Scholars Programme”.
                                                               government  and local universities, with limited








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