Research ethics

For enquiries, please contact:

WA|SA HREC

• Email: RamsayHREC.WA-SA@ramsayhealth.com.au

HREC A

• Email: HREC.RHC@ramsayhealth.com.au
• Phone: (02) 9433 3854

RHC HREC A

Chair: Dr David Carter

WA/SA

Chair: A/Prof. Beverly Ewens and A/Prof. Rosemary Saunders

Any applications submitted after the latest submission deadline will not be considered until the next meeting.

Please note meeting dates are subject to change at the discretion of the Chair. Refer to published dates via webpage for the current meeting schedule.

For further information and queries, contact us.

All Ramsay HRECs charge the following fees for different types of Ethical Review application:

Effective 1 March 2023.

Please note all fees are exclusive of GST.

Notes

1. Initial application review fees are charged upon submission and non-refundable.
2. Annual ethics administration fee is charged annually in advance upon approval and thereafter on the anniversary of the approval date until the trial is completed.
3. Fees may be waived at the discretion of the National Research Unit.
4. All fees are payable to the Ramsay Hospital Research Foundation (ABN 11 607 036 948).

Research where the only foreseeable risk is discomfort.

Examples include:

• observational studies 
• surveys
• retrospective reviews
• data-only research proposals where the project seeks to access data from existing databanks, biobanks, registries or others

If unsure whether your study qualifies, please contact us. 

Research involving risks beyond discomfort, such as:

• vulnerable populations (e.g. Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities)
• genomic research
• clinical trials involving investigational products or interventions

Full HREC review is required for these studies. 

Unique patient cases must obtain patient consent prior to publication.

For journal submissions requiring ethics exemption letters, email the HREC:

WA|SA HREC

• Email: RamsayHREC.WA-SA@ramsayhealth.com.au

HREC A

• Email: HREC.RHC@ramsayhealth.com.au
• Phone: (02) 9433 3854

QI/QA studies aim to enhance health care delivery and may not require full ethics review.  
 
Submit the completed RHC Quality Audit Template for review to the RHC WA|SA HREC or RHC HREC A. 
 
For further information about quality audit and improvement activities, please see the NHMRC guidance. 

Ramsay HRECs review applications for practitioners seeking endorsement to prescribe unapproved therapeutic goods under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. 
 
Applications for Authorised Prescriber Scheme endorsement by the Ramsay Health Care HRECs must be made via REGGS.  
 
Practitioners are referred to the Therapeutic Goods Administration Guidance for further information on the Authorised Prescriber Scheme. 

All amendments to approved research must be submitted for HREC review before implementation.

Examples include changes to:

• protocols or procedures
• recruitment materials
• study sites or participant groups

Use the Notification of an Amendment to a Research Study Form in REGGS for submissions and include both clean and tracked copies of all amended documents. 

In accordance with NHMRC Guidelines, annual progress reports are required for all approved studies. Approved researchers receive reminders and submission instructions via REGGS. 

Serious adverse events, safety issues and protocol breaches must be reported to the approving HREC, in line with NHMRC guidelines. 

All breaches of protocol should be reported to the approving RHC HREC via REGGS. 
 
Instructions on how to submit a Serious Breach are available from our resources page. 

To submit a complaint about your participation in a research project, please contact us.

WA|SA HREC

Email: RamsayHREC.WA-SA@ramsayhealth.com.au

HREC A

Email: HREC.RHC@ramsayhealth.com.au

Alternatively, call (02) 9433 3854 for a confidential discussion. 

If you have concerns about the ethics review process, please email ResearchGovernance@ramsayhealth.com.au.

Complaints are reviewed by an independent party and treated confidentially.