Medical research: the Québec Ombudsman can receive complaints from participants

  • June 19, 2013
Corps

Following amendments to the Act respecting health services and social services, which came into force on June 14 of this year, participants in medical research can now benefit from the complaint examination process. The Québec Ombudsman therefore has the power, in second instance, to receive and deal with the complaints of participants in research projects, and those of their heirs or legal representatives. Remember that under the AHSSS, these complaints must first be addressed to the Local Service Quality and Complaints Commissioner. Furthermore, the Québec Ombudsman has no power to receive these complaints if they concern a physician, a resident, a dentist or a pharmacist. The Québec Ombudsman had welcomed these amendments to the AHSSS during the consultations on Bill 30 last April.