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Terms of use

1. Introduction2. Definitions3. Account Registration and Security4. Services5. User Obligations6. Data collection and privacy7. Intellectual Property8. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability9. Termination10. General Provisions11. Acknowledgement

1. Introduction

Welcome to the Iris Ethics online platform. These Terms of Use govern your access to and use of the services provided by Iris Ethics Pty Ltd.

Company Details:

  • Company Name: Iris Ethics Pty Ltd
  • Trading Name: Iris Ethics
  • ABN: 70685357313
  • Email: info@irisethics.com.au

Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using our platform. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use. If you do not agree to these Terms of Use, please do not use our platform.

2. Definitions

 In these Terms of Use:

  • "Company," "we," "us," or "our" means Iris Ethics Pty Ltd (ABN 70685357313).
  • "Platform" means the online platform operated by Iris Ethics Pty Ltd for processing applications for Human Research Ethics Committee reviews and related services.
  • "User," "you," or "your" means any individual or entity that accesses or uses the Platform.
  • "Services" means the Human Research Ethics Committee review services and other related services provided by Iris Ethics Pty Ltd.
  • "Content" means any information, data, text, documents, or other materials uploaded, submitted, or otherwise provided by Users to the Platform.
  • "National Statement" means the National Statement on the Ethical Conduct of Human Research 2025 issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
  • “HREC” means a Human Research Ethics Committee as defined in the National Statement.


3. Account Registration and Security

3.1 Account Creation

To access certain features of the Platform or to apply for our Services, you may need to create an account. When creating an account, you must provide accurate and complete information. You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account.

3.2 Eligible Users

Our Platform may be used by researchers, institutions, committee members, job applicants, and members of the public seeking information about research approved by Iris Ethics. Different features and functions of the Platform may be available to different types of users.

3.3 Account Security

You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or any other breach of security. We will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to comply with this section.



4. Services

4.1 Service Offerings

We offer the following services:

  • Full Committee Review: Full review of an application to conduct evaluation, market research and/or social research activities, with the review carried out by an HREC constituted per Section 5 of the National Statement. For the purposes of these terms, this service includes post-review activities directly related to the review process, including requests for amendment and ongoing reporting from applicants on the status of activities approved by the HREC.
  • Lower Risk Review: Review of an application identified as being lower risk in accordance with Chapter 2.1 of the National Statement. This review process is consistent with subsections 5.1.12 through 5.1.14 inclusive of the National Statement, and is conducted by either of: 
    • a designated person within Iris Ethics
    • a sub-committee, Chair or Deputy Chair of the HREC

Iris Ethics reserves the right to decide which approach to review will be used for a Lower Risk Review application. For the purposes of these terms, this service includes post-review activities directly related to the review process, including requests for amendment and ongoing reporting from applicants on the status of activities approved by the reviewer.

  • Determination: A determination is an assessment of a proposed activity, process or material for use in an evaluation, market research, or social research project to determine:
    • Relevant ethical considerations were said activity, process or material to be considered as part of a Full Committee or Lower Risk Review process.
    • Whether said considerations would preclude approval of a proposed application including said activity or process.
    • What possible steps may be taken to ensure that ethical risks that may arise from the inclusion of said activity, process or material are mitigated.

While the determination process is designed to provide clarity to applicants, the findings of a determination process are not binding on Iris Ethics or any other institution as defined in the National Statement, and Iris Ethics reserves the right to modify a determination or contradict a previous determination in light of relevant new or contextual knowledge. Iris Ethics also reserves the right to publish (with anonymisation and the express approval of the applicant) the findings of the determination as a guidance resource. 

4.2 Application Process

To apply for our Services, you must submit an application through our Platform. The application process may require you to provide various information, including but not limited to: 

  • contact details of applicants including staff conducting activities covered by the application, 
  • research/evaluation plans and frameworks including data collection instruments, communications plans and data analysis plans
  • participant information consent forms, and 
  • recruitment information for participants such as but not limited to flyers and digital advertising materials.

This is to enable consistent and effective review of the application per subsections 5.2.15 and 5.2.16 of the National Statement.

4.3 Service Delivery

For all Service Offerings, Iris Ethics will deliver the following:

  •  Initial operational assessment to ensure that the service can be provided within service timeframes.
    • While we endeavour to deliver services for all applicants, as we have finite capacity Iris Ethics reserves the right to decline or postpone an application’s processing due to a lack of operational capacity over the service period of the application, including as a result of Australian national and state public holiday periods or periods of organisational shutdown (including the Christmas and New Year period). In such cases Iris Ethics will contact the applicant at the earliest possible time to discuss options and alternatives.
  • Initial administrative assessment of supplied details and materials for completeness and correctness.
  • Initial risk assessment consistent with (but not as a replacement for an applicant’s responsibilities under) subsection 5.1.10 of the National Statement.
  • Assignment of a qualified and competent person or persons to undertake the review service requested, and where relevant the organisation of a review process.
  • Assessment of the substance of the application per the relevant service described in section 4.1 of these terms, including documentation of findings.
  • Communication of these findings, including where required recommendations on potential amendments to enable approval.
  • For amendments, further review of the application and additional materials and the development and communications of updated findings.

Timeframes for delivering services (subject to operational assessment) are:

  • Full Committee Review (first review only, and not including times for processing and reviewing amendments): 10 business days from application in 80% of cases; 20 business days from application in 90% of cases
  • Lower Risk Review (first review only, and not including times for processing and reviewing amendments): 5 business days from application in 80% of cases; 10 business days from application in 90% of cases
  • Determination: 20 business days from application in 80% of cases; 30 business days from application in 90% of cases

Further details can be found in our standard operating procedures consistent with subsections 5.2.1 to 5.2.6 inclusive of the National Statement.

4.4 Fees and Payment

Our fee structure for services can be found on our products page. Fees are shown inclusive of GST. Iris Ethics reserves the right to change fees as required, and will communicate proposed changes ahead of time.

Payment of invoices can be made by the following methods:

  • Debit or credit card
  • Direct debit
  • Bank transfer to Iris Ethics Pty Ltd

Payment by debit/credit card and direct debit is managed through the Stripe payments platform (https://www.stripe.com)

Terms of payment are 30 days from submission of application.



5. User Obligations

5.1 Compliance with Laws and Regulations

You agree to use the Platform and our Services in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and the National Statement on the Ethical Conduct of Human Research issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

5.2 Prohibited Activities

You agree not to:

  • Use the Platform in any way that violates any applicable laws or regulations
  • Use the Platform to transmit any material that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Platform, other accounts, or computer systems connected to the Platform
  • Interfere with or disrupt the operation of the Platform or the servers or networks connected to the Platform
  • Submit false, inaccurate, or misleading information in connection with an application for our Services

5.3 Accuracy of Information

You represent and warrant that all information you provide to us is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. You are responsible for promptly updating any information that changes.

6. Data collection and privacy

6.1 Types of Data Collected

We collect and process various types of data, including contact details, research/evaluation plans, participant information consent forms, recruitment information, and, in the case of job applicants, information on relevant job experience.

6.2 Data Storage and Security

Data are stored on Odoo's servers in Australia (primary) and the European Union (encrypted backup), and Microsoft's Azure Cloud services in Australia. We implement reasonable security measures to protect your data including encryption in transit and at rest.

6.3 Data Retention

We retain data for the period required under relevant Australian legislation and the NHMRC National Statement on the Ethical Conduct of Human Research.

6.4 Privacy Policy

Your use of our Platform is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated by reference into these Terms of Use. Our Privacy Policy can be found here.



7. Intellectual Property

7.1 Platform Intellectual Property

All content, features, and functionality of the Platform, including but not limited to the design, software, text, images, graphics, and logos, are owned by the Company or its licensors and are protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws.

7.2 User Content

You retain all ownership rights in the Content you submit to the Platform. However, by submitting Content to the Platform, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, store, display, reproduce, and modify such Content solely for the purpose of providing our Services.

7.3 No Ownership of Submitted Materials

We do not claim any ownership in respect of the intellectual property of materials submitted by you in connection with our Services.

7.4 Confidentiality

We will maintain the confidentiality of all information provided by you, except as required by law or as necessary to provide our Services. We will only report to the NHMRC information on the composition of our committee and summary information on our activities.

8. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

8.1 General Disclaimer

To the extent permitted by law, all conditions, warranties, guarantees, rights, remedies, liabilities and other terms implied by statute, custom or the common law are excluded from these Terms and otherwise in respect of goods or services supplied from your use of the Platform.

8.2 Non-Excludable Guarantees

Nothing in these Terms of Use excludes, restricts or modifies any consumer guarantee, right or remedy conferred on you by the Australian Consumer Law contained in Schedule 2 to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) or any other applicable law that cannot be excluded, restricted or modified by agreement (Non-Excludable Guarantee). However, to the maximum extent permitted by law, the Company's liability for breach of a Non-Excludable Guarantee is limited, at our option, to:

  • in the case of services, the cost of supplying the services again or payment of the cost of having the services supplied again; and
  • in the case of goods, the cost of replacing the goods, supplying equivalent goods or having the goods repaired, or payment of the cost of replacing the goods or of acquiring equivalent goods or having the goods repaired.

8.3 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses resulting from:

  • your use of or inability to use the Platform or Services;
  • any unauthorized access to or use of our servers and/or any personal information stored therein;
  • any interruption or cessation of transmission to or from the Platform; or
  • any bugs, viruses, trojan horses, or the like that may be transmitted to or through the Platform by any third party.


9. Termination

9.1 Termination by Company

We may suspend or terminate your access to all or any part of the Platform, at any time, if, in our reasonable opinion, you are in breach of these Terms. If your access to all or any part of the Platform is suspended or terminated, all restrictions on you and all disclaimers, exclusions and limitations of liability set out in these Terms will survive such suspension or termination.

9.2 Prohibition of Access Methods

We reserve the right to prohibit particular means of access where we determine that your manner of access may interfere with the Platform or our operations.

9.3 Termination by User

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us at info@irisethics.com.au.



10. General Provisions

10.1 Governing Law

These Terms of Use are governed by the laws of Victoria, Australia. You and we submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Victoria, Australia.

10.2 Entire Agreement

These Terms of Use, together with any documents they expressly incorporate, constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding your use of the Platform and Services.

10.3 Severability

If any provision of these Terms of Use is held to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be struck and the remaining provisions shall be enforced.

10.4 No Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms of Use will not be considered a waiver of such right or provision.

10.5 Amendments

We reserve the right to modify these Terms of Use at any time. We will notify users of any material changes by posting the new Terms of Use on the Platform and/or sending you an email. Your continued use of the Platform after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms of Use.

10.6 Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms of Use, please contact us at info@irisethics.com.au.



11. Acknowledgement

By using our Platform, you acknowledge that you have read and understood these Terms of Use and agree to be bound by them.

Last updated: 1 May 2025