In Australia, Coordinating Principal Investigators (CPIs) or other applicants must use the Human Research Ethics Application (HREA) form to apply for Human Research Ethics Committee consideration. NSW supports single ethical review for studies taking place in more than one NSW public health organisation.

There is no local HREC for Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD). However, via an agreement with Western NSW Local Health District, the Greater Western Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) conducts ethical review for all new single centre applications for research to be conducted in MLHD.

The Justice Health NSW Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) is accredited by the National Health and Medical Research Council. It aims to support research that is carried out in an ethical manner that will lead to improvements in policy and in service delivery while protecting the welfare, rights, dignity and safety of research participants.

From 29th April 2019, all EPCT HREC applications should be submitted to one of the two NSW Health EPCT HRECs for review and approval before it can be accepted by a NSW PHO site, unless under current arrangements of the Scheme involving paediatrics EPCTs. What are the key changes as a result of this Scheme been operational?

Lead HREC is a local HREC accredited by the Director-General of the NSW Ministry of Health to conduct ethical and scientific review of human research on behalf of the NSW public health system in the categories of: (a) clinical trials/interventional clinical research; and/or (b) …

The HREC functions on behalf of the Public Health Organisation are to: 2.1 Provide independent oversight of human research projects; 2.2 Provide competent, timely review and monitoring of human research projects in respect of their ethical and scientific acceptability for as long as projects are active;

The human research ethics committee (HREC) reviews all research about human beings performed in NSW public health organisations to make sure it meets the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2023 (National Health and Medical Research Council; Australian Research Council; Universities Australia; 2023).

The responsibilities of the HREC are to conduct the scientific and ethical review of human research on behalf of the NSW public health system in the categories of:

Under the NSW Health Early Phase Clinical Trial Scheme Bellberry HRECs have been appointed for the review of adult Early Phase Clinical Trial (EPCT) conducted at NSW Public Health Organisation sites (PHOs).

State and territory health departments have a MOU for mutual acceptance of ethical and scientific review of multi-centre human research projects.