Using ICES Data in Funded Research

The Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions requires that access to research funding is withheld until all necessary human, animal, and biohazardous funded research has been approved. 

What is ICES?

ICES (formerly the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences) is a non-profit research institute that securely collects and analyzes health-related data to support evidence-based healthcare improvements in Ontario. Established in 1992, ICES holds a vast repository of provincial health system data, including:

  • Hospital records
  • Physician billing claims
  • Prescription data
  • Other administrative health data

ICES uses this data to conduct research, inform public policy, and improve healthcare delivery. It operates under strict privacy and security protocols and is designated as a prescribed entity under Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA). This designation allows ICES to collect and use personal health information without individual consent, specifically for research and health system evaluation purposes.

Why Does This Matter for Funding?

When your research involves ICES data, additional steps are required before funding can be released. These steps ensure that the use of personal health information complies with PHIPA and that the research is properly documented and approved within your institution’s systems.

Do I Need to Flag Human Ethics in ROLA If I’m Only Using ICES Data?

Yes. For any research involving any human data, it must  be noted  on the certifications tab of the ROLA Proposal. As an institutional requirement, this is applicable whether the data is obtained through  REB approved studies involving direct contact with participants or through other sources such as ICES. 

What Does Checking the “Human Ethics” Box Mean?

  • It does not mean you are required to get Western’s REB (Research Ethics Board) approval.
  • It does confirm that your project involves humans in some capacity, including data use.

How Do I Access My Funding If My Project Involves ICES Data?

Once your research grant or contract is awarded, you will be prompted to complete the Personal Health Information Project Funding Agreement

This agreement is necessary to set up your research account and confirms:

    1. Your intention to use the funds for research involving ICES data
    2. Whether the ICES data falls under:
      • Section 45 of PHIPA (prescribed entity use), or
      • Section 44 (non-prescribed use)
    3. Whether the funding will also support other human-related research activities, not limited to:
      • Recruitment
      • Data collection
      • Use of biological materials

Instructions for Completing the Personal Health Information Project Funding Agreement

Please follow the guidance below to complete each section of the form accurately:

  • Principal Investigator - This is the lead researcher responsible for the project and the holder of the research account. This should match the Principal Investigator (PI) identified in your application and ROLA proposal.
  • Award Recipient - If the award recipient is different from the PI, please provide that name here. This may be a Postdoctoral Fellow, graduate student, or another researcher who is conducting the research under the PI’s supervision but is not eligible to hold a research account at Western.
  • Email Address - Enter the PI’s Western email address; this is where account details and speed code will be sent.  
  • Award ID - Once the award notice has been received by the Office of Research Services, the award ID (format: R####A##) is generated.You can find the Award ID by logging into your profile in the ROLA grants management system or by reviewing the email message with the subject “Certification Protocol Information Requested” from psoft@uwo.ca
  • Brief Description of Proposed Work - Summarize the research project and explain how the awarded funds will be used, as approved by the sponsor.
  • How long do you have access to data from ICES? Indicate how long ICES has granted access to the data for this project.
  • Will this award include any Patient Contact Studies involving ICES data? State whether this award will involve any Patient Contact Studies as part of the research using ICES data. Will the project require contacting human participants?
  • Confirmation that you are not obtaining data from other sources in addition to ICES. Confirm whether the ICES data used in this research falls entirely under Section 45 of the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004.
    • If you are unsure whether the data falls under Section 44 or Section 45, please consult with ICES for clarification.
  • Will this award only involve ICES data?Confirm whether you will be using only ICES data, or if you will also be accessing other sources, such as hospital medical records or external databases.
  • If you will need to contact human participants to carry out your funded project, when do you hope to begin carrying out this research?If your project involves contacting human participants, indicate when you plan to begin this aspect of the research.