Guidance on ethical issues in research involving humans

Research involving humans - response to COVID-19

17 April 2020

Until further notice, all research activity involving travel or face-to-face interaction with participants must now stop. See the announcement in full here: Urgent announcement regarding research involving humans (PDF) . This is in line with the approach being taken by the NHS and other institutions. See also the information regarding researchers and fieldworkers abroad.

Research at this time must be conducted using online or remote methods. If that is not possible, it must be postponed.

For more information, see the interim guidance for research involving humans. The guidance includes the types of research that can continue, ethical considerations, making a new ethical review application or amending an existing ethical approval in the current circumstances.

The guidance on this page covers the specific ethical issues you may need to consider when completing your ethical application form if you are conducting research involving human participants, their data or samples.

For guidance on other aspects of good research conduct visit the good research conduct web page.

If you are unable to find guidance relating to your circumstances seek advice from your School ethics committee and consult external guidance specific to your discipline (such as a learned society).

If there is a topic that you feel should be included that is not currently featured, please email utrecmail@st-andrews.ac.uk

Collaboration

Research involving collaboration with other persons, Schools, Departments or organisations.

Concerns and complaints

Raising a concern or complaint about research involving human participants, their data or samples.

Confidentiality and data protection

Definitions, capture, storage, retention and sharing of data relating to human participants or their samples.

Consent to participate

Ensuring that participants' consent is informed and freely given, and that they have an appropriate right to withdraw consent.

Deception

Research that needs to not reveal its true purpose to its participants up front.

Dependent relationships

Research in which there is a disparity of power or status between the researcher, or recruiter, and participants.

Online or remote interviews and focus groups

Guidance for collecting data via online or remote interviews and focus groups.

Online surveys or questionnaires

Research using online surveys or questionnaires to collect data.

Recruiting participants

Guidance for the ethical recruitment of participants for research.

Secondary data

Guidance for the use of secondary data sources for research involving humans.

Social media research

Research using social media to recruit or interact with participants, or to collect data.

Tissues and cell lines

Research involving collection or use of human tissue or cell lines.