About the ethics review process
Our human research ethics committee (HREC) reviews proposed research projects in our hospital and health service.
When you apply for ethics approval, we’ll assess your project using the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research.
You'll need to be able to show that:
- your research has scientific merit
- any benefits outweigh any risks
- the people who’ll work on your project have the right qualifications
- you’ll treat the participants with respect, especially vulnerable groups
- you’ve thought about ethical issues linked to your research methods.
Ethics review pathways
Depending on your project, there are different pathways for ethics review.
If you aren't sure which pathway is right for your project, contact our team for advice.
Projects that may not need full ethics review
Some projects, like clinical audits, quality assurance activities and case studies, may not need a full ethics review, or may be exempt.
If you plan to publish this work outside Central Queensland Health, you may need to apply for an exemption from ethics review.
Only people who work for us can apply for an exemption from ethics review.
Multi-site research
If your research will happen in more than one place (a multi-centre research project), another HREC will need to approve it. You can find a full list of HRECs who can approve multi-centre research on the National Health and Medical Research Council website.
If you already have ethics approval
If your project has approval from a HREC accredited under the National Mutual Acceptance Scheme, you don’t need to apply again. You can go ahead and apply for a site-specific assessment (SSA).
Before you begin
We recommend you contact our team before you apply for ethics approval. They can talk you through the application process and answer any questions you may have.
How to apply for ethics approval
You need to apply for ethics approval for lower risk and higher risk research.
Step 1: Prepare your research protocol
Your research protocol should include:
- the project background, goals, and expected results
- the project design, methods, and activities
- evidence from other research and preliminary investigations
- how you'll use and manage data
- timelines and how you'll handle potential problems
- your funding budget.
You can use our research protocol template or another template as long as it covers the required information.
Step 2: Prepare your documents
You need to upload supporting documents when you apply for an ethics review. This will depend on your study, but might include:
- participant information and consent forms
- interview schedules
- surveys
- data collection forms
- advertisements
- product information and investigator brochures
- any other documents that you'll give to participants.
If your research involves Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, you’ll also need to provide letters of support and evidence of community consultation.
Read more about ethical guidelines for research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the National Health and Medical Research Council website.
Step 3: Submit your application
Apply through the ERM.
Learn more about how to use the ERM on the Queensland Health website.
Apply for a site specific assessment (SSA)
After you apply for an ethics review in the ERM, you can submit your SSA application form and apply for governance authorisation.
Contact us
If you have any questions about ethical reviews email cqhhs-hrec@health.qld.gov.au.