Objective:

To attain a better understanding of the structure and processes of Research Ethics Committees (REC) in the low-and middle-income countries of the Mesoamerican region. The objectives are knowing the operational practices of the RECs regarding project evaluation, training needs, and infrastructure.

Materials and methods:

The REC training and needs assessment involved an online survey of all the RECs (n=55) identified in Colombia (n=11), Costa Rica (n=5), Guatemala (n=5), and Mexico (n=34).

Results:

Participants reported inadequate infrastructure for its proper operation (only 49.1 %, or 27/55, have an exclusive office to safeguard files); insufficient administrative staff (47.3%, 26/55), or financial resources to conduct active site monitoring (85.6%, 47/55) to ensure the protection of rights and welfare of study participants.

Conclusions:

Investments in REC member training and infrastructure are needed to ensure compliance of REC evaluations with the standards for ethical conduct of research.

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