The Health Ministry Screening Committee clearance (HMSC) is mandatory for all research proposals involving foreign assistance. The ICMR is the secretariat for HMSC and facilitates technical review of the proposal, which is a mandatory requirement for placement before the Health Ministry Screening Committee. The proposals involving all or any of the following criteria must be submitted for consideration by HMSC:
- Foreign funding or, assistance is to be received
- Technical collaboration is envisaged
- Both foreign funding or, assistance and technical collaboration are integral part of collaboration
- Funds disbursed for a research project or a clinical trial by Indian office of an international agency or, Multinational Company (MNC) are also considered foreign funds.
All proposals submitted to HMSC are reviewed by technical experts and HMSC. The review criteria include, but are not limited to the submitted project meeting the following:
- Reflects national research priorities and relevance to Indian health priorities.
- All planned transfer of biological material for QA/QC purpose is in accordance with the guidelines of MOHFW issued in 1997 and duly signed Material Transfer Agreement (MTA)
- Details on sharing of raw data/filing of patent
- Details on transfer of technology/capacity strengthening
- Whether Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) clearance and other regulatory requirements/clearances required the study have been obtained
- National security/sensitivity concerns including visit by foreigners to sensitive areas or institutions
- Issues like registration with CTRI, insurance cover, accountability and compensation relation to clinical trials as per prevailing rules and regulations of Govt. of India
- Need and justification for foreign collaboration.
In case of doubt, PI should contact to HMSC Secretariat at ICMR for assistance. WHO funded projects are excluded from the need for HMSC clearance.