Costs of seeking ethics approval before and after the introduction of multicentre research ethics committees
N R Dunn DM MRCGP, A Arscott DCR, 1R D Mann MD FRCP
Drug Safety Research Unit, Bursledon Hall, Blundell Lane Southampton, SO31 1AA, UK
1Manor Cottage, Petersfield Road, Midhurst, GU29 9RL, UK
Summary
With the advent of multicentre research ethics committees in the UK local, research ethics committees (LRECs) are required to advise only on issues relating to the local acceptability of a project. We looked at the handling of two commercially sponsored studies, one initiated before the change and one after, confining the analysis to 21 LRECs approached in both. As judged by the amount of paper per application, the new system for LRECs is simpler and should be less costly. However, there was an increasing tendency for LRECs to charge for their services (30% study 1, 47% study 2) and these charges varied by more than 400%. If such fees must be levied, a common scale is desirable.
KEY WORDS - MRECs, LRECs, ethics approval
