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Research Ethics Committee

The University requires that all research involving human participants or human material or human data is subject to formal ethical review and approval before such work can be started.

All clinical research involving human tissue, material or data requires approval via the NHS LREC / MREC mechanism.

Therefore, research involving humans which falls within any of the categories below, must seek approval from the appropriate NHS LREC/MREC. Please contact the relevant NHS LREC for further information.

  • Patients and users of the NHS. This is intended to mean all potential research participants recruited by virtue of the patient or user's past or present treatment by, or use of, the NHS. It includes NHS patients treated under contracts with private sector institutions.
  • Individuals identified as potential research participants because of their status as relatives or carers of patients and users of the NHS, as defined above.
  • Access to data, organs or other bodily material of past and present NHS patients.
  • Fetal material and IVF involving NHS patients.
  • The recently dead in NHS premises.

UPDATE: The Governance Arrangements for Research Ethics Committees (GAfREC) published in April 2011 states "Research involving staff of the [NHS and Social Care] services...who are recruited by virtue of their professional role, does not therefore require REC review except where it would otherwise require REC review under this document (for example, because there is a legal requirement for REC review, or because the research also involves patients or service users as research participants)." Therefore, these applications will now be reviewed by the School of Medicine Research Ethics Committee.

Via the Home Office, procedures also exist for non-human biomedical research with ethical considerations. Separate procedures also exist; when researching particular population groups such as prisoners and specific ethical clearance is required in these types of research.

Non-clinical research involving human participants, human material or human data requires approval by the School of Medicine Research Ethics Committee.

Further details on how to apply to the School of Medicine Research Ethics committee can be found in the Related Documents section or by contacting the Committee Secretary, Miss Claire Batten.

Applicants submitting projects for ethical approval should ensure that they comply with the University's Health and Safety policies.

More details and guidance on Research Ethics in general can be found on the University's Research and Commercial Division Research Ethics Page.

Future Research Ethics Committee Deadlines and Meeting Dates

The School of Medicine Research Ethics Committee meets monthly, usually on the third Wednesday of each month. Applicants will be informed of the Committee's decision the week following the meeting.

February 2013

  • Deadline : February 4 at 5:00 pm
  • Meeting : February 13 at 2:00 pm

March 2013

  • Deadline : March 4 at 5:00 pm
  • Meeting : March 13 at 2:00 pm

April 2013

  • Deadline : April 15 at 5:00 pm
  • Meeting : April 24 at 2:00 pm

May 2013

  • Deadline : May 13 at 5:00 pm
  • Meeting : May 22 at 2:00 pm

June 2013

  • Deadline : June 17 at 5:00 pm
  • Meeting : June 26 at 2:00 pm

July 2013

  • Deadline : July 17 at 5:00 pm
  • Meeting : July 24 at 2:00 pm

Further meeting dates for 2013 to be announced.