Where to submit for ethics approval

Ethical review applications for clinical research

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Research ethicsSponsorshipNHS RESCURECHRACAGMRHAtrust

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  • clinical trial (CTIMP) or administration of an unlicensed drug
  • ionising radiation
  • tissue samples (containing cells) used in research at any time or in storage for more than 7 days before transportation and rendering acellular
  • adults lacking capacity to consent
  • use of certain medical devices
  • participants recruited by virtue of being UK National Health Service (NHS) patients
  1. Clinical Trials and Research Governance (CTRG) for University sponsorship
  2. NHS Research Ethics Service
  3. HRA approval (if required)
  4. CAG approval (if required)
  5. MHRA approval (if required)
  6. Local NHS trust confirmation (if required)

  • NHS staff1 or NHS data2
  • administration of any licensed drug or other (non-drug) substances to healthy volunteers in the UK or the EU
  1. Clinical Trials and Research Governance (CTRG) for University sponsorship
  2. Central University Research Ethics Committee (CUREC)
  3. HRA approval (if required)
  4. Local NHS trust confirmation (if required)

1 Staff are people recruited to research by virtue of their status as current or former employees of the NHS

2 Data means data generated by an NHS clinical service, or held in NHS databases or behind NHS firewalls, or owned by the NHS in any other capacity.
It does not matter whether the data hold identifying personal information or whether they are anonymised. 

Confidentiality

If your research involves the use of patient-identifiable information without consent, you will need to apply to the HRA Confidentiality Advisory Group (CAG). Applications can be made via the Integrated Research Application System (IRAS) application process.

Contacts

CTRG TEAM  

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