Friend or foe? Building better relationships between HRECs and researchers
Dr Gary Allen
February 2, 2023
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Research Ethics Monthly
ISSN 2206-2483
Why university research ethics committees are vital
March 13, 2021
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In this post Daniel Sokol writes about a troubling research integrity/human research ethics case that relates to Poland, the UK and Australia.
Daniel SokolÂ
When I sat on the Ministry of Defence’s Research Ethics Committee, some research projects were potentially dangerous. The risks of testing a new piece of military diving equipment, for example, are obvious. If it malfunctions, the volunteer could drown or suffer brain damage. The risks of historical research can be more subtle but they are nonetheless real, as shown by a recent case involving the University of Warwick.
Dr Anna Hájková, an associate professor of modern continental European history, researches the queer history of the Holocaust. She claimed that a Jewish prisoner may have engaged in a lesbian sexual relationship with a Nazi guard in Hamburg in 1944.
After the war, the prisoner worked as an actress and emigrated from…
Questionable publishing practice? Are you harmed?
July 30, 2020
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Antony Ley (Information Policy Officer at Griffith University) & Gary Allen When considering whether a journal publisher is legitimate, researchers
The Ethics and Politics of Qualitative Data Sharing
February 5, 2020
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Mark Israel (AHRECS and Murdoch University) and Farida Fozdar (The University of Western Australia). There is considerable momentum behind the
The research use of online data/web 2.0 comments
November 23, 2019
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Does it require research ethics review and specified consent? Dr Gary Allen AHRECS Senior Consultant The internet is a rich
The F-word, or how to fight fires in the research literature
July 17, 2019
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Professor Jennifer Byrne | University of Sydney Medical School and Children’s Hospital at Westmead At home, I am constantly
Consumer Co-design for End of Life Care Discharge Project
January 18, 2019
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In this issue, we are publishing an account of an end-of-life project in whose design there are some features that
Ten ways of ensuring affordable professional development in your institution
December 20, 2018
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Research institutions have a responsibility under the Australian Code to ‘Provide ongoing training and education that promotes and supports responsible research
Get access to some great resources (two examples included in this post) and support events like the Constructive Voices panels
November 21, 2018
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Every month we add at least two items to the subscribers’ area. These include vignettes and other resources to use
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Featured posts
Travelling Consultants and Professional Development Roadshows
March 27, 2019
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Prof. Mark Israel plans to be in CANBERRA (2-3 April), SYDNEY (8-10 May), UK and Belgium (27 May-8
Worried your researchers might not be treating human research ethics as a core component of good research practice? Concerned they are not seeing it as their responsibility?
June 19, 2020
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All of us might be part of the problem. Dr Gary Allen AHRECS Senior
Why human research ethics and research integrity aren’t fire blankets
January 27, 2021
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Let’s start with fire safety. Used correctly, fire blankets (and other fire protection equipment) can manage a hazard and prevent increased harm. Institutions have a regulatory responsibility to make staff aware of standards by providing training in fire safety and correct behaviour.
SYNERGY ONE
While in Australia there is no human research ethics legislation, the National Statement is generally recognised as the national standard for human research ethics.  The Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research is the national standard for research integrity. Similarly, researchers need to be aware of the institution’s and national policies, procedures and arrangements with regards to human research ethics/research integrity (NS 3.47, AC Researcher Responsibility 16).
AHRECS expands to encompass animal ethics
September 20, 2022
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In this short post AHRECS consultant, Amanda Fernie discusses the animal ethics services that AHRECS now provides and are experienced in, in this complex and important area of research governance.
Amanda is one of the recent additions to the AHRECS team.
She brings considerable experience as someone who has worked as an animal ethics officer and as a manager of a Research Ethics and Research Integrity team.
Even more than is a case for Human Research Ethics, Animal Ethics is an area that cannot be purely approached as a matter of technical regulation where researchers and institutions must comply with relevant laws and ethical codes. This is NOT a useful approach to Animal Ethics. It also unlikely to prompt researchers to approach the topic in a way that it thoughtful, reflective and engaged.
Considering matters such as the sufficiency of environmental enrichment and techniques is not merely a matter of whether a proposed approach complies with the law. It requires a far more thoughtful reflection on animal welfare and respect. What was appropriate 20 years ago is unlikely to be acceptable now.
The AHRECS team brings together considerable experience and insight into international best practice.
Contact us on enquiry@ahrecs.com if you would like to discuss how we can assist your institution.