RITHIM Harmony: Updated Consent Transition Guidelines Now Available

July 16, 2025

The Research Improvements Through Harmonization in Manitoba (RITHIM) initiative has released updated Consent Transition Guidelines to support researchers transitioning to RITHIM in maintaining alignment with current ethical and regulatory requirements.

These guidelines provide direction on how to address previously obtained consent. They are intended to help ensure participant consent remains valid, informed, and ethically sound throughout the research process.

Researchers are encouraged to consult the guidelines when:

• Drafting new consent forms
• Amending existing consent forms
• Assessing the need for re-consent in active studies

The guidelines also outline recommended practices for communicating changes to participants, ensuring both clarity and compliance.

We encourage all investigators, research staff, and institutional partners to review and integrate this information into their processes to support high-quality, ethical research across Manitoba.

Access the full Consent Transition Guidelines here:
🔗 https://rithim.ca/ethics/ethics-guidelines/informed-consent-guidelines/consent-transition/