Human Research Ethics Committees

Overview

There are two Human Research Ethics Committees sponsored by the Agency and operating in the Northern Territory:

• one for the Top End and
• one for Central Australia.

These committees operate in accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council Act (1992) and the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in human research, 2007 - updated 2009.

Does your research involve children or young people?

To find out if you require an Ochre Card please visit the Working with Children website.

Top End Human Research Ethics Committee

The Human Research Ethics Committee of the Northern Territory Department of Health and the Menzies School of Health Research is constituted in accordance with the NHMRC Act 1992 (Cth) and the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Research Involving Humans (1999).

As suggested by the name, the HREC supports the research activities of the NT Department of Health in its northern zone and Menzies School of Health Research. The HREC also considers applications submitted by non-government health providers located across the 'Top End' of the Northern Territory.

For more information visit the website: Human Research Ethics Committee of the NT Department of Health and Menzies School of Health Research

Central Australian Human Research Ethics Committee

CAHREC forms can be downloaded here. Please note both the Application and Report forms have been updated and 20 hard copies of Applications are now required.

The Central Australian Human Research Ethics Committee is a Committee of the NT Department of Health and the Centre for Remote Health, a joint venture of Flinders and Charles Darwin Universities.

CAHREC considers applications for research on humans for all organisations and individuals who wish to conduct such research in the Southern and Barkly regions of the Northern Territory.

Research on Aboriginal Land in these regions now requires a research permit from the Central Land Council, and a prerequisite for this permit is Ethics Approval from CAHREC. Further Information

Forms, Policies and Procedures

• CAHREC Application Form (69KB)
• CAHREC Progress and Final Report Form (29KB)

Requests for amendments, including extensions, do not have a CAHREC form. Amendments require the same type and numbers of copies as applications (see below), unless otherwise advised by CAHREC. Extensions require an electronic copy, 1 original, and 3 hard copies.

The National Ethics Application Form available on www.neaf.gov.au may be used for research applications to CAHREC, but Part D (Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Research) from the CAHREC Application form must also be completed and attached to the NEAF form for any research involving Indigenous participants.

CAHREC requires the following documents for all Applications before they can be considered by the Ethics Committee:

• 1 stapled, single-sided, signed original, including all attachments (original or digital signatures)
• 20 stapled, double-sided hard copies of the signed original, including all attachments
• 1 electronic version of the signed original, including all attachments: Please email these as one document, not as multiple attachments

Electronic copies should be sent to:[click here to send email]
Hard copies should be delivered to:
Letters should be addressed to: CAHREC PO Box 4066 Alice Springs NT 0871
Packages should be addressed to: CAHREC c/- CRH cnr Simpson & Skinner St, Alice Springs NT 0870
Submissions can be dropped off at the front desk of the Centre for Remote Health (cnr Simpson & Skinner St)

Meeting Dates for 2013

Contacts for the Central Australian Human Research Ethics Committee Secretariat

Related Links

• NHMRC National Statement
• Values and Ethics Guidelines
• NHMRC Human Research Ethics Program
• Guidelines under Section 95 of the Privacy Act 1988
• Guidelines under Section 95A of the Privacy Act 1988
• NT Information Act
• Office of the Gene Technology Regulator
• Keeping research on track: a guide for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples about health research ethics