Human Research Ethics Committee
The Grampians Health and St John of God (GHSJOG) Healthcare Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) is a duly constituted and registered Ethics Committee under the guidelines of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), responsible for approving, overseeing and monitoring the conduct and performance of research in both institutions and partners throughout the Grampians region.
The Ethics Committee must approve all research projects to be run by staff members and visiting clinicians, and all projects involving participants who are patients/clients or staff members of Grampians Health and St John of God Ballarat Hospital and partner organisations.
Research involving humans must not be undertaken until a formal, signed approval has been confirmed by GHSJOG HREC.
Human Research Ethics Committee
All research in Australia involving human participants is reviewed by an independent group called a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC)
Researchers are responsible for the ethical design and conduct of research. The HREC is responsible for ethical review of research.
The Grampians Health and St John of God Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee (GH SJOG HREC) is constituted and operated in accordance with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2025.
Before starting a research project, researchers must have ethics AND governance approval.
The roles of the HREC are to:
- Ensure the design and conduct of any human research that it reviews within the scope of its responsibilities conforms with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2025 (National Statement)
- Ensure that participants in any human research that the HREC reviews and approves are accorded the respect and protection that is due to them
- Facilitate and foster human research that is of benefit to Australian communities
- Ensure that any decision it makes complies with relevant Victorian and Australian laws
Research involving humans must not be undertaken until a formal, signed approval has been confirmed by GHSJOG HREC.
Committee information
HREC Meeting Dates
Applications and correspondence items will not be reviewed by the committee unless all documents are signed and submitted to Ethical Review Manager (ERM).
