Independent Human Research Ethics Committee
Facilitating Research Integrity
Independent Human Ethics Review Services
Tēnā koe and welcome to the Independent Human Ethics Review Committee for Aotearoa New Zealand. We provide a streamlined ethics review process for social science researchers to ensure your research meets the ethical standards expected in Aotearoa New Zealand.
We were established to provide commercial-level service by paying expert and experienced chairs and reviewers for their work. Our fees reflect the true cost of ethics review; we believe that institutions - particularly government agencies - can no longer expect to receive ethics review for free.
For those with less money and more time, particularly community researchers, please apply to our charitable sister organisation, the Aotearoa Research Ethics Committee.
The terms of reference (operating rules), the participant information sheet and consent templates and the application form can be found on the resources page.
(3 weeks turnaround)
$NZD 3000 (GST excl) - please contact us if your research contracts are yet to take into account our fee, or you would like to enquire about expedited review: info@ihrec.co.nz
For details on the reviewers please see the committee page.
Complete and submit our application form to start the process
More templates are available on the resources page
This will generate an email for you to send the application to us (info@ihrec.co.nz)
Services
Social Science Research Review
About us
IHREC was formed to meet the growing demand from private and government sector researchers for ethical review, as our older sister organisation, the Aotearoa Research Ethics Committee (AREC, formerly the New Zealand Ethics Committee), as a volunteer prob-bono service cannot cope with the number of applications it receives.
Founded by Hannah Neale and Lindsey Te Ata o Tū MacDonald, who together bring 30 years of experience in ethics review and ethics review processes, IHREC continues AREC's commitment to providing a review process that supports applicants, but is a not-for-profit company that can pay market rates to experienced research ethics reviewers and chairs, to ensure fast and comprehensive review of your application.
IHREC maintains quality standards through:
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An Advisory Board that oversees all documentation and provides quarterly audits of randomly selected reviews
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A pending application for approval from the Health Research Council Ethics Committee to review non-HDEC research
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Following the key statements of Human Research Ethics standards in New Zealand including Te Ara Tika, the NEAC standards, and the Royal Society's Code of conduct
IHREC's Advisory Board comprises individuals with immense knowledge of the regulatory and ethical issues of research review.
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Dr Gordon McGurk. Gordon has a long history in research and in Government. His areas of experience are particularly in the areas of clinical trial governance, research ethics, research integrity and research governance, in which he provides advice in a professional capacity. He has chaired Human Research Ethics Committees in Brisbane for over 9 years and is a qualified lawyer with interests in health law, privacy and human rights law. He is also chair of an Australian Standards sub-committee on biosafety.
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Associate Professor Monique Jonas. Monique has just spent 6 years as the Chair of the Health Research Council Ethics Committee, after time with the National Ethics Advisory Committee, and the National Health Committee. A bioethicist at the University of Auckland, she has recently published On the Ethics of Advising with Oxford University Press.
Our Aim
IHREC's aim is to provide effective and fast research reviews that explain to applicants how to meet the standards expected of human subject research in New Zealand.
Building on the legacy of the revolutionary approach of the Aotearoa research ethics committee, our IHREC is committed to a review process that:
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Provides applicants with the same dignity and autonomy we expect researchers to extend to their participants
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Delivers clear, constructive suggestions that enhance both the research quality and the researcher's experience with ethics review
Ethical Standards used by IHREC
We provide ethics reviews so that researchers can meet the ethical standards expected of researchers in Aotearoa New Zealand based on national guidelines from a variety of institutions
Social Science research standards
Smith, B., Reynolds, P., Russell, K., & et. al. (2010). Te Ara Tika Guidelines for Māori Research Ethics: A framework for researchers and ethics committee members. Health Research Council of New Zealand.
Provides a framework for addressing Māori ethical issues within the context of decision-making by ethics committee members
In New Zealand, Royal Society Te Apārangi's Code of Professional Standards and Ethics is a professional code that Members of the Society are bound to obey. It is also used on a voluntary basis by others.