[SydPhil] ACHEEV Seminar: Improving HREC Review through Shared Ethical Debate, Dr Lisa Eckstein & Dr Rebekah McWhirter, 11 September, Hybrid

[Yves Aquino]

Dear colleagues,

Apologies for cross posting.

UOW's Australian Centre for Health Engagement, Evidence and Values (ACHEEV)
invites you to a hybrid seminar on "Improving HREC Review through Shared
Ethical Debate" by Dr Lisa Eckstein (Bellberry, UTAS) and Dr Rebekah
McWhirter (ANU). The seminar will be held online and in person (Bldg 29 UOW
Wollongong Campus) on the 11th of September 2025, 12:30pm (Sydney time).

Please register your interest to attend through this link
https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/aoVWCoV1kpfvEk06zs1fNipemUZ?domain=eventbrite.com.au

SUMMARY
Australian HRECs are frequently criticised for inconsistent
decision-making, particularly by large multisite trials applying to
multiple HRECs. While HRECs may reasonably disagree, a degree of
predictability between HRECs is important, especially for decisions made
under an enactment, such as waivers of consent for secondary data use. We
undertook a benchmarking exercise to better understand how HRECs make
decisions about secondary use of data, in order to inform the development
of resources for researchers and HREC members.
Using the Shared Ethical Debate approach developed by Trace and Kolstoe
(2017), we sent a mock ethics application to participating HRECs relating a
request for participant-level data from a hypothetical 2018 clinical trial.
HRECs received one of two versions: one in which the original study
included broad consent for future use, and one in which the original study
was silent as to future use. HRECs returned records of deliberation (e.g.
minutes, transcripts and feedback summaries), which were iteratively
analysed using a combination of deductive and inductive qualitative codes.
Of 188 HRECs invited to participate, 34 agreed and 18 returned their
records of deliberation. Outcomes of deliberation were strikingly
divergent: in the broad consent group, 2 HRECs approved the application, 2
required revisions and 2 rejected it; and in the silent group, 0 HRECs
approved the application, 10 required revisions and 2 rejected it.
Substantial diversity was also evident in the themes raised by HRECs in
their deliberations, with many not expressly linking their decisions to the
National Statement or relevant legislation.
This exercise provided a rich evidence base to inform the development of
resources for both researchers to improve their data sharing applications,
and for HREC members to improve the quality and consistency of their data
sharing decisions. Further, engaging in benchmarking exercises and
receiving feedback on how an HREC’s decision-making compares to others
represents a potential mechanism for professional development and the
promotion of high-quality and consistent ethical review.

SPEAKER BIOS
Lisa is Ethics Specialist and CT:IQ Programme Director at Bellberry Ltd, as
well as an adjunct Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of
Tasmania. Her area of specialisation is ethical and legal issues associated
with medical research, with a focus on clinical trials and innovative
technology. Bek is senior lecturer and Education Director at the ANU School
of Law. Her work focuses on research ethics governance and the ethical and
legal issues associated with genomics, particularly in relation to
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.

ABOUT ACHEEV
The Australian Centre for Health Engagement, Evidence and Values (ACHEEV)
was established in January 2019. Our work focuses on health: the health of
people, other animals, society and the planet, and how all of these things
are connected. Our research is rigorous, interdisciplinary and
independent.  We are not afraid to ask difficult questions, and we have the
skills, knowledge and experience to generate meaningful answers that can
guide policy and practice. For more information, visit our website
https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/2KZRCp81lrtAm5Bp8SDhPiGeKmK?domain=uow.edu.au

Thank you!
-- 
*Dr. Yves Saint James C. Aquino, MD, PhD*
He/him/his
Research Fellow, Australian Centre for Health Engagement, Evidence and
Values
University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Editor-in-Chief, Research Ethics (Sage Publications)

Website: https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/BSiGCq71mwfXZ9oJ5CQiqiEhCBy?domain=yvesaquino.com
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LinkedIn: https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/vCo9Cvl1rKiAxv3r6Sot3iQUy-P?domain=linkedin.com
UOW Scholars Page: https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/rXIiCwV1vMfyKoWg1C8uriJC8S7?domain=scholars.uow.edu.au
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