Table 1 Examples and types of health and medical research exempted from ethics reviews

Existing data/specimen

Existing collection of data or records that contain only non-identifiable data

Previously collected, non-identifiable tissue samples

Secondary research use of identifiable biospecimens (subject to criteria)

Exempt

Questionnaire or survey

Filling in a form, participating in a street survey (where those are no more than inconvenience)

Educational tests, survey procedures (subject to criteria)

Exempt, unless it imposes rules of behaviour (e.g. required to be done repeatedly) or topic is sensitive (e.g. suicide, abortion)

Interviews

Interview procedures (subject to criteria)

Exempt, unless it imposes rules of behaviour (e.g. required to be done repeatedly) or topic is sensitive (e.g. suicide, abortion)

Post-marketing studies

Healthcare market research conducted by professional market researchers

e.g. collecting data on adverse effects of medicines already available on the market

Evaluation of public benefit or service programme

e.g. procedures for obtaining benefits, alternatives, changes in payment levels

Randomised controlled trials

May be exempt if meets the exemption rule below (see ‘other’ category)

Research with staff in their professional role

Research involving NHS staff acting in their professional roles

Audit and service evaluation

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Audit and service evaluation

Other exemptions

“Giving up time to participate in research” (example of an inconvenience)

Medical/scientific research that does not expose persons to treatment, or require persons to follow certain behavioural rules