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Overview of Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs)
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- » What is a Human Research Ethics Committee?
- » What sort of organisations have HRECs?
- » Membership of a HREC
- » List of HRECs by State/Territory
- » Monitoring the activities of the HRECs
- » HREC Annual Reporting to NHMRC
- » Raising concerns about a research project or an HREC
- » Fees for ethical consideration of research proposals
- » Contact for further information
What is a Human Research Ethics Committee?
Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs) play a central role in the Australian system of ethical oversight of research involving humans. HRECs review research proposals involving human participants to ensure that they are ethically acceptable and in accordance with relevant standards and guidelines.
There are more than 200 HRECs in institutions and organisations across Australia. Many other countries have similar systems.
The Australian Health Ethics Committee (AHEC) also plays an important role in this system.
In undertaking this role, HRECs are guided by relevant standards. Standards include those articulated in the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) (the National Statement) issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council.
The National Statement requires that all research proposals involving human participants be reviewed and approved by an HREC. The National Statement sets out the requirements for the composition of an HREC, stipulating that an HREC should consist of no less than eight members with specific qualifications and expertise [See 5.1.30. of the National Statement for details].
In addition, the National Statement sets out the relevant ethical principles and values by which research should be designed and conducted and hence to which HRECs should refer when reviewing research proposals. It also identifies requirements and responsibilities for:
- organisations in establishing HRECs;
- researchers in submitting research proposals to HRECs; and
- HRECs in considering and reaching decisions regarding these proposals and in monitoring the conduct of approved research.
In some circumstances HRECs charge fees for considering research application. Further information on this can be found below under Fees for Ethical Consideration of Research Proposals.
What sort of organisations have HRECs?
HRECs are usually established by organisations (public, not-for-profit or private) which conduct research involving humans. Universities and hospitals are the most common of these organisations. Not all organisations which conduct research, however, have their own HREC. Some organisations and individual researchers use the services of HRECs within other organisations. Not all HRECs are established by organisations which conduct research. Some organisations have established an HREC to provide the service of ethical review to researchers who do not have an HREC at their own organisation.
Membership of a HREC
The minimum membership of an HREC is prescribed by the National Statement and includes members of the general community in addition to those with expertise in specific areas. Some organisations seek expressions of interest from people wishing to become members of an HREC by advertising in newspapers or on their website. People wishing to express an interest in becoming a member of an HREC should do so by contacting a specific HREC registered with the NHMRC. Please refer to the list of HRECs registered with NHMRC . Please note that the NHMRC does not hold a list of the names of members of HRECs.
List of HRECs by State/Territory
A list of HRECs sorted by State/Territory and registered with the NHMRC is made publicly available to facilitate contact between researchers, sponsors and HRECs. HRECs are included on this list if they have registered with the NHMRC and are currently in operation. Inclusion on the list is not an indicator of performance, or compliance with the National Statement.
Monitoring the activities of HRECs
HRECs are established by organisations which are responsible for adequately resourcing them and ensuring that they operate in accordance with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007). Hence, the primary responsibility for monitoring the activities of an HREC rests with the organisation(s) that established it. HRECs are required to report their compliance to the National Statement on an annual basis [NS 5.7].
HREC Annual Reporting to NHMRC
The HREC Annual Report Form asks organisations and their HRECs to retrospectively self-report on the procedures of the HREC [NS 5.7.4], relevant to the reporting period. In addition, the HREC Annual Report Form assesses the compliance of an HREC with the Guidelines Under Section 95 of the Privacy Act 1988 and the Guidelines approved under Section 95A of the Privacy Act 1988
For more information about the HREC Annual Report, please see the HREC Annual Reporting to NHMRC page.
Raising concerns about a research project or an HREC
Participants
If you have a concern about the conduct of a research project you are participating in you may raise your concern with the researcher responsible for the project. You will have been given the contact details for the researcher so that you can ask questions or raise concerns. If you do not feel comfortable discussing your concern with the researcher, you may contact the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) that approved the research project or a nominated complaints officer. The contact details for the HREC or complaints officer will also have been given to you (usually within the written information sheet or consent form).
Non-participants
You do not need to be a participant in a research project in order to raise a concern about the conduct of the project. If you are not a participant, you can raise your concern with the researcher, the HREC which approved the project, or the researcher's organisation. Contact details for the HREC of the researcher's organisation can usually be obtained from the organisation's website or by contacting the organisation's switchboard. Ask for the 'HREC contact officer' or for the 'Research Office'. If the project was approved by an HREC which is not based at the researcher's organisation, the Research Office should be able to assist you in contacting the relevant HREC.
Institutional responses regarding complaints
Institutions are required to have a complaints handling policy in place. Any complaints about the conduct of a research project should be handled in accordance with the institution's policy and the requirements of the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) and the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research.
Fees for ethical consideration of research proposals
The decision to adopt a policy for charging fees for access to HREC reviews is largely an administrative decision. In making this decision, organisations and institutions should consider whether the payment of a fee will compromise the integrity of the process of ethical review and the monitoring of approved research (for example, higher fees should not be charged for expedited review).
To ensure impartiality, organisations and institutions should keep the processes for collection, administration and use of fees separate from the administration of HREC activities. In addition, implementation of a fees policy should not have the effect of preventing the consideration of research proposals that would otherwise have been considered in the work of the HREC (for example, high levels of fees for staff or student research).
If an organisation/institution decides to charge fees for the services of the HREC, it should develop a publicly available, comprehensive policy which includes:
- the rate or rates of fees;
- an explanation of how those rates were determined (eg. by reference to the costs involved in the HREC process of consideration of all or different types of research proposals);
- by whom and in relation to which research proposals fees are payable (and in relation to which research proposals fees are not payable);
- administrative arrangements for payment of fees; and
- the use the organisation will make of fee income.
Contact for further information
| Postal address |
Research Ethics Section |
Email address |
|
Telephone |
(02) 6217 9070 |
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