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…
Undue Influence in Research Between High-Income and Lower-Income Countries
September 26, 2018
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Red Thaddeus D. Miguel According to the Belmont Report (1979), respect for persons incorporates two ethical convictions: individuals are to be
How do we ‘do’ consent?
August 26, 2018
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This blog post expands on ideas from our recent publication: McWhirter, R. E., & Eckstein, L. (2018). Moving Forward on
Release of the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2007 (updated 2018) – With interview
July 30, 2018
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The revised National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2007 (updated 2018) was released on 9 July 2018. .
Disaster Research and its Ethical Review
February 25, 2018
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Disaster research ethics is a growing area of interest within the research ethics field. Given the lack of a universal
Ethical Use of Student Data in Higher Education – Advancing the conversation
February 21, 2018
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In a 2016 conference paper discussing ethical use of student data I noted that there was a ‘disconnect between national
Ethical use of social media as a recruitment tool
November 20, 2017
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Building the Conversation From this month we will start including posts about the ethical design of human research. Our intent
Terms and conditions apply
August 21, 2017
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Kids tell us that making decisions can sometimes be hard (anyone who has taken a child to an ice cream
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Featured posts
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.
Review of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research
January 20, 2017
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The Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research 2007 (the Code) is Australia’s
Release of the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2007 (updated 2018) – With interview
July 30, 2018
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The revised National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2007 (updated 2018) was
HREC decision-making about social research with children: the influence of payment, risk and method
April 21, 2022
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In her latest thought-provoking post Stephanie Taplin reflects on social research with children/young adults and the impact of offering them incentives in the form of payments.
These matters have been controversial for research ethics committee and resulted in a block of items in the review feedback from the reviewing committee/s.
Despite the authority provided by the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (NHMRC, 2007, updated 2018) HRECs can be nervous about approving such research with incentives.
Despite this difficulty for reviewers, incentives in the form of payments definitely increases the chances that a young person will respond to a recruitment strategy.
Stephanie’s work has highlighted the degree to which a review body may be more comfortable with the offer of a chance to win and an incentive in a prize draw, at values over ten times as high as the direct incentive payment.
Another area of tension between the preferences of review body and young people is the difference between face-to-face interviews and anonymous questionnaires.
In this post Stephanie reflects on why researchers should engage with HRECs on these matters, rather than choose a path most likely to be accepted immediately by a committee.