The Ethics Committees Support Unit (USCE) aims to improve the quality and efficiency of the actions of the Ethics Committee for Research with Medicines (CEIM) and the Animal Experimentation Committee (CEEA) of the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, in accordance with the current Catalan, Spanish and European legislation.

In close collaboration with the CEIM the USCE unit assumes the functions of the Technical / Administrative Secretariat of the CEIM: Managing the requests for evaluations in the CEIM of Clinical Trials with drugs (CA), clinical investigations with Medical Devices (ICPS), Observational Studies with Drugs (EOMs) and other Research Projects (RP) and supporting the CEIM in the preparation of evaluation and follow-up reports.

In close collaboration with the CEEA, the USCE unit assumes the functions of the Administrative Secretariat of the CEEA and the management of all the necessary documentation for the evaluation of new procedures and projects with animal experimentation, as well as the procedure for their authorization by the Department of Territory and Sustainability of the Generalitat de Catalunya. It also provides support in the application for accreditation of personnel using experimental animals.

The USCE unit is in charge of the implementation of the VHIR's "Specialization Course for Clinical. Trials Assistants", as well as other training initiatives by IPs of the center on issues related to the submission of applications for evaluation at the CEIM.

The unit is in charge of managing the database of clinical research documents.