This article is part of the Iris Ethics Knowledge Base; you can find a directory of all articles here.
Overview
The HREC is accountable to the Managing Director of Iris Ethics for the conduct of its business, and reports to the Managing Director at least annually (ToR section 3). It also reports to the NHMRC, reflecting the National Statement's requirement that institutions with a registered HREC report annually, or on request, on its conduct (NS 5.8.3 to 5.8.4).
Reporting to the Managing Director
The HREC's annual report to the Managing Director includes information on membership, the number of proposals reviewed, the status of proposals, a description of any complaints received and their outcome, and general issues raised. The HREC may also bring matters of significant concern to the Managing Director's attention at any time, outside the annual cycle (ToR section 3).
Reporting to the NHMRC
Because Iris Ethics' HREC is registered with the NHMRC (EC00484), it must report annually, or upon request, on its conduct. Reportable information for each HREC may include (NS 5.8.4):
- Membership and membership changes.
- The number of meetings held.
- Confirmation of participation in meetings by members in each minimum membership category.
- The number of research proposals presented, approved, requiring modification prior to approval, and rejected.
- Monitoring procedures in place and any problems encountered with monitoring of projects.
- Complaints procedures and the number of complaints handled.
- Any other matters the NHMRC determines are relevant.
The NHMRC, through the Australian Health Ethics Committee, reviews HREC activity for conformance with the National Statement; failure to comply may result in removal from the register of HRECs (NS 5.8.5).
Public availability
The HREC's Terms of Reference, Standard operating procedures and membership are made publicly available on the Iris Ethics website (ToR section 3).
Significant events
Where a significant adverse event occurs in approved research, or approval is suspended or withdrawn, this is captured in the HREC's reporting to the Managing Director and, depending on its nature, may also require notification to the NHMRC or another regulator. See Suspension/withdrawal of approval and Safety reporting.
Related resources
This page was last updated on 16 September 2026.
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This article makes reference to the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2025. It is intended as practical guidance and does not constitute legal advice.
AI Disclosure: Resources in this library were prepared using Large Language Models with input from Iris Ethics staff who guided the scope and design. Subsequent revisions and final versions were developed and approved by Iris Ethics staff.