Research Ethics

Research Ethics

Research Ethics

Research Ethics

The Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the Cork Teaching Hospitals (CREC) deals with clinical research involving human participants, their identifiable data or tissue.This Committee is recognised by the Department of Health and Children as a nationallycompetent ethics committee for clinical trials under the European Communities (ClinicalTrials on Medicinal Products for Human Use) Regulations.


If the research project is clinical in nature, then it must be referred to CREC. The requirements of CREC are set out in the Committee’s manual which is freely available from it's secretariat. In broad terms, prior approval is necessary where the research methodology involves:

• therapeutic interaction with a human participant;

• a clinical trial of, inter alia, a medical device, medicinal product or clinical technique as
stipulated under relevant legislation;

• development of diagnostic techniques using human participants;

• access to, or utilisation of, human tissue and body fluids;

• access to, or utilisation of, identifiable medical data concerning individuals (such
as clinical records) by parties not directly concerned in the provision of care to these
individuals;

• interaction with / observation of individuals in a healthcare context or setting.

For specific clinical research queries please contact CREC directly on crec@ucc.ie

School of Medicine

Scoil an Leighis

Room 2.59, T12 AK54

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