Human Research Ethics Committee:
Complaints Resolution Policy
CSU HUMAN RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEE POLICY GUIDELINES |
6. CONPLAINTS RESOLUTION POLICY |
The National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Research Involving humans requires that Human Research Ethics Committees provide for mechanisms for receiving and promptly handling complaints or concerns from :
- researchers about the consideration of their research protocol by the HREC
- participants or potential participants about the conduct of an approved research project
A. APPEALS BY RESEARCHERS AGAINST COMMITTEE DECISIONS
Step 1 Applicants who wish to appeal against a decision of the Committee may make a formal request in writing to the Presiding Officer, Human Research Ethics Committee, requesting a review of the Committee’s decision. If the Presiding Officer determines that there is sufficient grounds for the Committee to review it’s decision, then the application will be reconsidered by the full committee when it next meets. This step must be undertaken before an applicant can proceed to Step 2.
Step 2 If the applicant is dissatisfied with the Presiding Officer’s response, or the Full Committee’s reconsideration of the application, the applicant may make a formal request in writing to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) to review the basis for the Committee’s decision. The Vice-Chancellor will consider the appeal in consultation with the Presiding Officer of the Committee. It should be noted that formal approval for research involving human participants must ultimately come from a duly constituted Human Research Ethics Committee.
B. MISCONDUCT BY RESEARCHERS AND COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE RESEARCH
The Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) has developed a mechanism for responding to complaints about research involving human participants.
Any individual or organisation may initiate complaints about research involving human participants by making a written complaint to the Executive Officer, HREC, who will act as the Complaints Officer. These complaints may address:
- Research being conducted in a way which the complainant believes to be unethical or contrary to existing policy or legislation;
- Research (involving human participants) being conducted without formal HREC approval;
- Research being conducted in manner contrary to the conditions placed on the research in the letter of approval from the HREC;
- Research being conducted in a manner contrary to an HREC application which has been approved;
- Violation or compromise of confidentiality in recruitment, conduct and publication of research;
- Misuse of data;
- Any other similar matter.
All research participants are to be provided with the contact details for the Executive Officer on the Information Sheet. The proforma Information Sheet provided to for this purpose contains the following:
NOTE: Charles Sturt University’s Human Research Ethics Committee has approved this project. If you have any complaints or reservations about the ethical conduct of this project, you may contact the Committee through the Executive Officer:
The Executive Officer
Human Research Ethics Committee
Office of Academic Governance
Charles Sturt University
Panorama Avenue
Bathurst NSW 2795
Tel 02 6338 4628
Fax 02 6338 4194
COMPLAINT PROCEDURE
On receiving a complaint, the Complaints Officer (ie the Executive Officer) will:
- Inform the researcher and /or the researcher’s supervisor of the complaint and seek information in response to the complaint;
- Seek an explanation of the events which have given rise to the complaint;
In the event that it is determined that the matter requires further investigation or action, the Complaints Officer will refer the matter to the Presiding Officer who may:
- Suspend HREC approval while the matter is investigated;
- Request evidence that the researcher is conducting the research in keeping with the terms of the HREC approval;
- Place further conditions on the continued conduct of the research;
- Require that all or some data be brought to the Complaints Officer for secure storage;
- Approach the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) to inform him/her of the complaint;
- Recommend further investigation of the complaint by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)
- After full investigation, revoke approval for the research and require that all data that has been collected be bought to the Complaints Officer for secure storage.
Complainants and researchers (and supervisors where the research is student research) will receive a written response to the complaint from the Complaints Officer on behalf of the HREC. Where the nature of the complaint requires further investigation, researchers will receive written information about the process being undertaken.
Researchers who believe that a complaint is unwarranted or that the handling of the complaint is unfair are entitled to lodge a formal complaint or appeal to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research). (see Section A of this policy).
| Executive Officer
Email: ethics@csu.edu.au Phone: 02 6338 4628 Fax: 02 6338 4194 |
Location Office of Academic Governance Level 3, Building S1 CSU Bathurst Campus |
Postal Address Office of Academic Governance Charles Sturt University Panorama Avenue Bathurst NSW 2795 |