Information for the General Public

Eastern Health Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) is constituted in accordance with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (NHMRC 2007).

This means that the HREC consists of the required number of members who fit the recommended criteria as stipulated in the guidelines.

Additionally the Eastern Health Human Research Ethics Committee has been certified by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) since February 2012. – as we have ongoing certification.

Updated Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) are currently being developed and are expected to be available online April 2023. If you have any urgent questions, please contact our office ethics@easternhealth.org.au

Research with a 'Waiver of Consent'

Consent to participate in research must be voluntary, and based on sufficient information and adequate understanding of both the proposed research and the implications of participation in it. The requirement for consent may sometimes be justifiably waived. In this case research participants will characteristically not know that they, or perhaps their tissue or data, are involved in the research.

Only an HREC may grant waiver of consent for research using personal information in medical research, or personal health information.

For the period 1 July 2021 – 30 June 2022 one waiver of consent was requested from Eastern Health HREC.

The Office of Research and Ethics

The Office of Research and Ethics was established in 2010 under the leadership of the inaugural Director of Research. Personnel of the Office provide: