DVA Human Research Ethics Committee (DVA HREC)

On this page:

• Background to the DVA HREC 
• Role of Committee 
• Making a submission
• Documentation 
• Meeting Dates
• Membership 
• Contact the DVA HREC

Background

In accordance with National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines, the Department of Veterans' Affairs Human Research Ethics Committee (DVA HREC) was established in September 1993 by the Repatriation Commission.

The Committee complies with the NHMRC’s National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Research Involving Humans (National Statement) revised in 2007.

Members of the Ethics Committee are appointed by the Repatriation Commission and the Committee reports back to the Commission on its activities.

Role of the Committee

The primary role of the DVA Ethics Committee is to protect the welfare and rights of members of the veteran community who are participants in human research. Broadly defined, human research is conducted with or about people, their data or tissue.

In ensuring compliance with the National Statement, the Committee views research protocols from an ethical, moral and social perspective, irrespective of whether or not DVA is funding, or is likely to be responsible for, the research. The Committee also considers a participants right to privacy as protected by the Privacy Act 1988.

When and how to make a submission

The DVA HREC Administrative Guidelines (see below) provide valuable information about when and how to make a submission to the Ethics Committee and the responsibilities of researchers.

The DVA Ethics Committee normally meets on the second Friday every second month (February, April, June, August, October and December). Submissions to the DVA HREC Coordinator are required at least two weeks prior to each meeting.

Where a submission is in respect to accessing data or blood samples or contacting participants from the Study of Health Outcomes in Aircraft Maintenance Personnel (SHOAMP). Then, in the first instance, the research proposal is to be submitted to the SHOAMP Serum Management Committee (SMC) for in-principle endorsement. 

The SMC Secretariat can be contacted by  e-mail to: research@dva.gov.au and including in the subject heading ‘for attention Serum Management Secretariat’.

Documentation

• Administrative Guidelines 2008 (PDF 109kb)
• Approval process flowchart (PDF 16kb)
• Information Privacy Principles from Privacy Act 1988 (PDF 17kb)
• Reporting Template (RTF 77Kb)
• Study Protocol – for submissions by outside individuals or organisations (MS Word 132kb)
• Study Protocol – for submissions by or on behalf of DVA (MS Word 128kb)

The above Study Protocol form is in Microsoft Word format. This is the acceptable method for submitting applications. You can download the form to your system where you can complete the questions by entering responses in the table cells, as you would in any Word table. The proforma also contains an agreement to be signed by the Principal Researcher. You will need to print a hard copy of the completed protocol in order to sign the agreement at Part C.

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Meeting Dates

Membership

• Dr Tony Ireland – Chairman
• Ms Kaye Hogan AM – Laywoman
• Mr David Clinch OBE – Layman
• Monsignor John White MBE – Minister of Religion
• Mr Eden Zanatta – Stand-in Lawyer
• Dr Graeme Killer AO – Practicing Medical Professional
• Dr Anna Cowan– Relevant Expert (Research)
• Dr Michael Alp - Relevant Expert (Research)
• Ms Peta Stevenson - Ex officio
• Ms Kyleigh Heggie - Ex officio
• Ms Sue-Ellen Keir – DVA HREC Coordinator

Contact the DVA HREC

HREC Coordinator
Department of Veterans' Affairs
GPO Box 9998
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Telephone: (02) 6289 6204
Facsimile: (02) 6289 6173
Email: ethics.committee@dva.gov.au