{"id":537,"date":"2017-09-30T14:18:55","date_gmt":"2017-09-30T21:18:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/?page_id=537"},"modified":"2026-08-08T21:44:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T04:44:26","slug":"ethics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/student-teacher-info\/ethics\/","title":{"rendered":"Ethics Approval"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1967\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/muffin.microscope.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"349\" height=\"228\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/muffin.microscope.png 922w, https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/muffin.microscope-300x196.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/muffin.microscope-768x501.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 349px) 100vw, 349px\" \/><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><span style=\"color: #333399\">Does your project involve humans or animals?<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\">If so, you need to obtain ethics approval to qualify for VDSF.<\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"letter-spacing: 0.8px;text-align: center\"><span style=\"color: #666699\"><strong>IS ETHICS APPROVAL REQUIRED?\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1888\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/erik.fishladders.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"256\" height=\"186\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/erik.fishladders.png 841w, https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/erik.fishladders-300x219.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/erik.fishladders-768x560.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Ethics approval is <strong>not <\/strong>required in the following cases:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>observations of human subjects in a public setting without identifying them\n<ul>\n<li>e.g.<em> counting pedestrians at an intersection<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>testing personal care products on synthetic samples\n<ul>\n<li>e.g.<em> testing shampoo on synthetic hair or yarn<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>using data about humans and\/or animals from an open source, <strong>provided<\/strong> <strong>that<\/strong> it is properly cited\n<ul>\n<li>e.g. <em>using<\/em>\u00a0<em>data from the National Cancer Institute&#8217;s Genomic Data Commons to build simulations<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>experiments involving plants, invertebrates (e.g. <em>worms, molluscs, insects, spiders, echinoderms, cnidarians, sponges, etc.<\/em>) or single-celled micro-organisms (e.g. <em>diatoms<\/em>),\u00a0<strong>provided that<\/strong> these experiments have scientific merit, have educational value, and avoid gratuitous harm\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">Please see <\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #ff6600\">&#8220;Use of Animals in Research&#8221;<\/span> <span style=\"color: #000000\">(under<\/span> <span style=\"color: #ff9900\"><em>Ethics Policies &amp; Resources<\/em><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000\"> below)<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"color: #000000\">.<\/span> Students should consult their teacher sponsor and\/or e-mail VDSF to confirm the above before proceeding with any experiments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><strong>T<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><strong>hese projects may still be flagged during registration.<\/strong><\/span> Students should be prepared to explain why they believe their project is exempt from ethics approval if they are contacted by VDSF.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"letter-spacing: 0.8px;text-align: center\"><span style=\"color: #666699\"><strong>HOW TO REQUEST ETHICS APPROVAL\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1968\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/ideal.thumbsup.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"254\" height=\"166\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/ideal.thumbsup.png 931w, https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/ideal.thumbsup-300x196.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/ideal.thumbsup-768x502.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 254px) 100vw, 254px\" \/><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #000080\">Determine what type of ethics approval is required.<\/span> <\/strong>Use the <span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong><a style=\"color: #ff6600\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2023\/10\/flowchart.VDSFethics.pdf\">VDSF ethics approval flowchart<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>to narrow down which category your project belongs to.<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #000080\">Download the appropriate<\/span> <span style=\"color: #ff9900\">ethics approval package <\/span><span style=\"color: #000080\">(see next section).<\/span><\/strong> Complete all forms and obtain the required signatures. You may do this electronically or print out the forms to fill in by hand.\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><b><span style=\"color: #3366ff\">Teacher sponsors:<\/span> <\/b><\/span>Make sure you are well-informed about a project before signing the approval form. Read the student responses in the ethics approval package carefully; ask for clarification or elaboration if needed.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><strong>Students working with vertebrates, cephalopods, or decapod crustaceans: <\/strong><\/span>You need to obtain pre-approval from GVRSF <strong>before<\/strong> any experiments can begin. Submit your completed approval package in a formal request to GVRSF before Winter Break (latest <strong>December 18<\/strong>).<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\">NEW<\/span> Students doing innovation projects that involve testing customized devices on humans:<\/span> <\/strong><\/span>You are strongly encouraged to submit the <span style=\"color: #ff9900\"><strong>Humans in Research (significant risk) ethics approval package<\/strong><\/span> to GVRSF for pre-approval or before any major construction has taken place.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3366ff\">Students working with human participants in other projects:<\/span> <\/strong><\/span>You don&#8217;t need to submit a formal request to GVRSF until you register for VDSF, but you should submit your ethics forms to your <strong>teacher sponsor<\/strong> for their initial review by Winter Break (<strong>December 18<\/strong>).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #000080\">Submit a formal request for approval.<\/span> <\/strong>Use your VSB student e-mail to send everything in ONE e-mail.\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Attach <span style=\"color: #3366ff\">PDF or Word<\/span> files only<\/strong>. Do not use VSB OneDrive, SharePoint, or Google Doc links.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Did you conduct a <span style=\"color: #3366ff\">survey or questionnaire<\/span>? <\/strong>Include a blank survey or survey link.<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #333399\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">Leave a<\/span> <span style=\"color: #3366ff\">message<\/span><\/span>! <\/strong>Keep this brief but informative. Introduce yourself (<span style=\"color: #ff9900\"><strong>full name<\/strong> <\/span>and <strong><span style=\"color: #ff9900\">project title<\/span><\/strong>), state the <span style=\"color: #ff9900\"><strong>type<\/strong> <\/span>of ethics approval you are requesting, and <span style=\"color: #ff9900\"><strong>list<\/strong> <\/span>the documents attached.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Put your <span style=\"color: #3366ff\">project ID <\/span>(see your registration e-mail) in the <span style=\"color: #ff9900\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff\">subject line<\/span> <\/span>of your e-mail.<\/strong> For example: <em>[TUPP 2 WORMS] ethics request<\/em>. This makes it easier to locate your request later.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #000080\">Address your e-mail to the GVRSF ethics reviewer (<\/span><span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff\" href=\"mailto:vdsfethics@gvrsf.ca\">vdsfethics@gvrsf.ca<\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #000080\">) and include the following<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"color: #000080\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li>the <strong style=\"letter-spacing: 0.05em\">VDSF coordinator <\/strong><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0.05em\">(<\/span><span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><a style=\"color: #3366ff\" href=\"mailto:vdsfprojects@vsb.bc.ca\">vdsfprojects@vsb.bc.ca<\/a><\/span><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0.05em\">)<\/span><\/li>\n<li>your <strong style=\"letter-spacing: 0.05em\">project partner<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0.05em\">your <\/span><strong style=\"letter-spacing: 0.05em\">teacher sponsor<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong>IMPORTANT!<\/strong><\/span> <span style=\"letter-spacing: 0.05em\">Include these individuals on <strong>all<\/strong> replies<\/span><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0.05em\">. This keeps everyone in the loop.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000080\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000080\">Check <\/span>your e-mail for a reply from the GVRSF ethics reviewer.<\/strong><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li>If the reviewer asks you to provide <span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><strong>more detail<\/strong> <\/span>or <span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><strong>make changes<\/strong><\/span>, respond in a timely manner!<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000\">If the reviewer announces that<span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><strong>\u00a0ethic approval has been granted<\/strong><\/span>, save this e-mail and <\/span>use it to complete the last section of your ethics forms. Be ready to present these during the safety check at Langara.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right\">[<strong>Last updated: <\/strong>August 2026]<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"letter-spacing: 0.8px;text-align: center\"><span style=\"color: #666699\"><strong>VDSF ETHICS APPROVAL PACKAGES<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><strong>Be complete and specific! <\/strong><\/span>If the information on your ethics forms is vague or incomplete, the ethics reviewer will need to ask follow-up questions, which can delay the approval process.<\/p>\n<p><strong>NOTE:\u00a0<\/strong>You must be signed in on your VSB account to download these forms. If you need assistance, ask your teacher sponsor.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000080\"><strong>HUMAN PARTICIPANTS (LOW RISK) ETHICS APPROVAL\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff9900\"><strong>Download and complete this package:<\/strong><\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/vsbworld-my.sharepoint.com\/:b:\/g\/personal\/juchan_vsb_bc_ca\/IQAeFZlIn7rPSqsTppnkxHRJASlk3uqdqmc7ObVb6Ls3E4c?e=ja6IUU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Humans in Research (Low Risk) ethics approval<\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Request for Advice or Ruling Ethics Committee<\/li>\n<li>Participation of Humans in Research Low Risk &#8212; Approval Form (previously <strong>Form 4.1A<\/strong>)<\/li>\n<li>Informed Consent &#8212; Letter of Information template<\/li>\n<li>Informed Consent &#8212; Permission Form<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3366ff\">NOTE:<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>If your participants are writing a survey or other type of questionnaire (e.g. interview), include a blank copy of the survey with your request.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000080\"><strong>HUMAN PARTICIPANTS (SIGNIFICANT RISK) ETHICS APPROVAL\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #333399\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900\"><strong>Download and complete this package: <\/strong><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vsbworld-my.sharepoint.com\/:b:\/g\/personal\/juchan_vsb_bc_ca\/IQDJEFDzw9UxQaS2oD4pwIFkAfZLSsfgKuT9xQUEjBrUk2o?e=GnpX0d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Humans in Research (Significant Risk) ethics approval<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Request for Advice or Ruling Ethics Committee<\/li>\n<li>Participation of Humans in Research Significant Risk &#8212; Approval Form (previously <strong>Form 4.1B<\/strong>)<\/li>\n<li>Informed Consent &#8212; Letter of Information template<\/li>\n<li>Informed Consent &#8212; Permission Form<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong><span style=\"color: #3366ff\">NOTE:<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>If your participants are writing a survey or other type of questionnaire (e.g. interview), include a blank copy of the survey with your request.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000080\"><strong>VERTEBRATE ANIMALS, CEPHALOPODS, or DECAPOD CRUSTACEANS ETHICS APPROVAL\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff9900\"><strong>Download and complete this package:<\/strong><\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/vsbworld-my.sharepoint.com\/:b:\/g\/personal\/juchan_vsb_bc_ca\/IQApqCZ9DbELT76kvtX4AxcHAbXgtXbaKFvChUFZDbdSAxI?e=cHB9ZE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Use of Animals in Research ethics approval<\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Request for Advice or Ruling Ethics Committee<\/li>\n<li>Use of Vertebrate Animals in Research Approval Form (previously Form 4.1C)<\/li>\n<li>Use of Animals Research Plan template<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><strong>Projects involving vertebrate animals, cephalopods, or decapod crustaceans require <span style=\"color: #ff0000\">pre-approval<\/span> from the GVRSF ethics reviewer <span style=\"color: #ff0000\">before<\/span> any experiments may begin.<\/strong><\/span> Students should proceed with Steps #3 &#8211; 6 above (submit a formal request to GVRSF and VDSF) at the start of their planning instead of waiting until their project is selected for VDSF.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right\">[<strong>Last updated:\u00a0<\/strong>August 2026]<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"letter-spacing: 0.8px;text-align: center\"><span style=\"color: #666699\"><strong>WHAT ARE THESE FORMS ABOUT?\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1971\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/kinesiology.closeup.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"276\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/kinesiology.closeup.png 663w, https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/kinesiology.closeup-300x218.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 276px) 100vw, 276px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"letter-spacing: 0.8px;text-align: left\"><span style=\"color: #000080\"><strong>FORMAL REQUEST FORMS\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0.05em;color: #ff9900\"><strong>Request for Advice or Ruling Ethics Committee<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0.05em\">Complete this form to formally request ethics approval from the regional ethics committee.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0.05em\">Describe your proposed project and provide <strong>details<\/strong> including where the experiments will take place, what special precautions you will take, who your adult supervisor is and their qualifications, etc. This is particularly important for significant risk projects so that the ethics reviewer can conduct a proper risk assessment.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff9900\"><strong>Use of Animals Research Plan<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Complete this form to outline how you plan to care for the animals before, during, and after your experiment, following the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DRSPQbcj7Fw\/?img_index=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ILAR principles<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DRIlcxBkuDJ\/?img_index=1\">3 R&#8217;s of animal research<\/a> (reduction, refinement, replacement).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000080\"><strong>INFORMED CONSENT FORMS\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>Experiments involving human participants require their <strong>informed\u00a0<\/strong>consent<strong>. <\/strong>This means they have all the information they need to understand your project and how they will be involved before they agree to participate.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff9900\"><strong>Letter of Information<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Use this letter to provide details of the experiment, including the time commitment required, the benefits and risks involved, how confidentiality will be maintained, and how to withdraw.<\/li>\n<li>Must be read by participants before they fill out any permission forms.<\/li>\n<li><strong>EXAMPLE:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2019\/12\/consent.letter.sample.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Letter of Information (sample)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff9900\"><strong>Permission form<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>All participants must sign a print version of this form before taking part in your experiment.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Caregiver\/guardian signatures are also required for participants under the age of 18. <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Informed consent forms contain confidential data, so they should be stored securely by the adult supervisor of this project and shredded once the project is no longer needed for science fairs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000080\"><strong>APPROVAL FORMS\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ff9900\">Participation of Humans in Research Low Risk<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ff9900\">Participation of Humans in Research Significant Risk<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ff9900\">Use of Vertebrate Animals in Research<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These approval forms certify that your project is in full compliance with the corresponding <a href=\"https:\/\/mystemspace.ca\/start-a-project\/safety-and-ethics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Youth Science Canada (YSC) policies<\/a> (see next section).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right\">[<strong>Last updated:\u00a0<\/strong>August 2026]<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"letter-spacing: 0.8px;text-align: center\"><span style=\"color: #666699\"><strong>ETHICS POLICIES &amp; RESOURCES<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>VDSF, GVRSF, and Canada-Wide Science Fair follow the same <a href=\"https:\/\/mystemspace.ca\/start-a-project\/safety-and-ethics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Youth Science Canada (YSC) policies<\/a>. Ethics approval obtained for VDSF carries over to the Greater Vancouver regional and Canada-Wide science fairs, provided that the project has not substantially changed in between.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>All of the Youth Science Canada policies below can also be found on the <a href=\"https:\/\/mystemspace.ca\/start-a-project\/safety-and-ethics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mySTEMspace Safety and Ethics page<\/a> (scroll down to the <em>Safety &amp; Ethics Resources<\/em> section).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"color: #000080\"><strong>ETHICS OVERVIEW\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2023\/10\/flowchart.VDSFethics.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VDSF ethics approval flowchart<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/youthscience.public.doctract.com\/doctract\/documentportal\/08DAEF4FCB7D3B432AB676C340C04CF5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Youth Science Canada Ethics in STEM Projects<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000080\">PARTICIPATION OF HUMANS IN RESEARCH\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1895 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/running.cameron.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"237\" height=\"171\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/running.cameron.png 937w, https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/running.cameron-300x216.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/running.cameron-768x554.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 237px) 100vw, 237px\" \/><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #ff9900\">Policies<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youthscience.public.doctract.com\/doctract\/documentportal\/08DA15EC288BCAE0EB5BE8A7C6A8A7E3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Participation of Humans in Research &#8211; Low Risk (Youth Science Canada)\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youthscience.public.doctract.com\/doctract\/documentportal\/08DA15EC288BCB5D572313BED9F478D0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Participation of Humans in Research &#8211; Significant Risk (Youth Science Canada)<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #ff9900\">Resources<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youthscience.public.doctract.com\/doctract\/documentportal\/08DAC41E3BEE57CF2AC0686B6B075426\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">STEM Project Physical Exercise permission form (Youth Science Canada)<\/a><\/p>\n<p>This permission form is specific to experiments involving physical exercise and is based on the PAR-Q+ questionnaire (see next item). It may replace the permission form in the ethics approval package.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/eparmedx.com\/?page_id=79\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PAR-Q+ The Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Students conducting experiments where participants are engaging in physical activity may use this questionnaire to determine whether anyone should consult doctor or qualified exercise professional before participating the experiment.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca\/nhpid-bdipsn\/search-rechercheReq.do\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Natural Health Products Ingredients Database (Health Canada)<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Students conducting experiments that involve the use of a natural product should use this database to check that the product has been commercially reviewed and is being used according to the manufacturer&#8217;s instructions. If the product is being used in a way that is different from &#8220;day-to-day&#8221; practice, the project falls in the Significant Risk category.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/health-canada\/services\/food-nutrition\/healthy-eating\/dietary-reference-intakes\/tables.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dietary Intake Reference Tables (Health Canada)<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Students conducting experiments involving the consumption of food or drink should consult these tables to make sure they aren&#8217;t exceeding the allowable limits for vitamins, elements (minerals), or macronutrients for their participants.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000080\"><strong>USE OF ANIMALS IN RESEARCH\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #ff9900\">Policies<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youthscience.public.doctract.com\/doctract\/documentportal\/08DA15EC288BCFFAC5ACCD7E0C92CD0C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Use of Invertebrate Animals in Research (Youth Science Canada)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youthscience.public.doctract.com\/doctract\/documentportal\/08DA15EC288BD0809EBD4B36295C1DE0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Use of Vertebrate Animals, Cephalopods, and Decapod Crustaceans in Research (Youth Science Canada)<\/a><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #ff9900\"><strong>Resources<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<h4><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1896 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/chelsea.chicks.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"239\" height=\"174\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/chelsea.chicks.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/chelsea.chicks-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/files\/2025\/08\/chelsea.chicks-768x559.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 239px) 100vw, 239px\" \/><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>ILAR principles: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nabt.org\/files\/galleries\/Principles_and_Guidelines_for_the_Use_of_Animals_in_Precollege_Education.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Principles and Guidelines for the Use of Animals in Precollege Education (Institute of Laboratory Animal Research)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>The 3Rs: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ccac.ca\/en\/three-rs\/replacement-reduction-refinement.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Replacement, Reduction, Refinement (CCAC)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ccac.ca\/en\/standards\/guidelines\/general-guidelines.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) general guidelines<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ccac.ca\/en\/guidelines-and-policies\/the-guidelines\/types-of-animal-guidelines.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) types of animal guidelines<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ccac.ca\/Documents\/Standards\/Guidelines\/Experimental_Animals_Vol1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Guide to the Care &amp; Use of Experimental Animals (Volume 1, 2nd edition)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/laws.justice.gc.ca\/eng\/acts\/s-15.3\/page-10.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Canadian Wildlife Species at Risk (Department of Justice Canada)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right\">[<strong>Last updated:<\/strong> August 2026]<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff\">Feeling overwhelmed?<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/vdsf.projects2027\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Follow VDSF on Instagram<\/a> during the months of October to December for posts delivering the same info in bite-sized chunks, along with announcements about info sessions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Does your project involve humans or animals?\u00a0 If so, you need to obtain ethics approval to qualify for VDSF. &nbsp; &nbsp; IS ETHICS APPROVAL REQUIRED?\u00a0 <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/student-teacher-info\/ethics\/\" title=\"Ethics Approval\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":190,"featured_media":0,"parent":515,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-537","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/190"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=537"}],"version-history":[{"count":107,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/537\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2096,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/537\/revisions\/2096"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/515"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vsb.bc.ca\/vdsf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}