Human Research Ethics
At Southern Cross University, the conduct of research involving the participation of humans must comply with the provisions of the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research. The National Statement has been developed jointly by the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian Research Council and the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee. For a full version of National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) go to:
National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007)
Definition of Human Research
Human research is conducted with or about people, or their data or tissue and involves human beings in:
- taking part in surveys, interviews or focus groups;
- undergoing psychological, physiological or medical testing or treatment;
- being observed by researchers;
- researchers having access to their personal documents or other materials;
- the collection and use of their body organs, tissues or fluids (eg skin, blood, urine, saliva, hair, bones, tumour and other biopsy specimens) or their exhaled breath;
- access to their information (in individually identifiable, re-identifiable or non-identifiable form) as part of an existing published or unpublished source or database.
Researchers are required to be familiar with the National Statement when designing and conducting their human research and when submitting ethics applications to the HREC for review and approval.
Updated: 30 May 2013