Human Research Ethics Committees

What is a Human Research Ethics Committee?

A HREC is an independent body that reviews research involving human participants before it can begin. Its role is to make sure the research is ethically sound, scientifically justified and designed to protect the people who take part.

In Australia, HRECs operate under the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research — the principal framework governing how human research is designed, reviewed and conducted.

Any research involving human participants that carries more than negligible risk must be reviewed and approved by an HREC before it can proceed.

The committee’s decision carries significant weight: without HREC approval, a study cannot legally go ahead.

Bellberry’s independent HRECs

Bellberry operates 12 NHMRC-certified Human Research Ethics Committees — more than any other independent provider in Australia.

Together, our committees review around 40% of all CTN-registered clinical trials in Australia each year, and have assessed more than 11,000 studies since Bellberry was founded in 2004.

Bellberry is also proud to be Australia’s first organisation to achieve full AAHRPP accreditation — the international gold standard in human research protection.

Our committees ensure that:

• Research is ethically and scientifically sound.
• Participant welfare, consent and privacy are protected.

View our certifications and accreditations.

Types of studies our HRECs review

Bellberry’s HRECs review a wide range of human research, including:

• Clinical drug trials across all phases, from first-in-human studies to post-marketing surveillance
• Medical device clinical investigations
• Social and behavioural science research
• Digital health and AI research
• Animal studies
• Public health submissions

From Phase I clinical trials to community-based behavioural studies, Bellberry has the expertise and committee capacity to provide professional, timely and high-quality ethical review.

How our committees work

HREC composition

In line with the National Statement requirements, Bellberry HRECs are made up of people from a range of backgrounds — scientific, medical, legal, community and pastoral — to support a balanced review that considers ethical, scientific and social perspectives.

Our committee members are drawn from a large talent pool and allocated meeting by meeting, based on the requirements of the study submitted.

This means research proposals of all types — from clinical studies of pharmaceuticals, devices and techniques, through to social science research — are considered by committee members with the appropriate knowledge and expertise.

View the Bellberry Generic Meeting Composition List for 2026.

Commitment to independence

Bellberry’s HRECs are structurally and operationally independent from the company’s business operations. The Bellberry Board and CEO oversee governance and strategy, but have no influence over committee decisions. This independence ensures that each review remains impartial, transparent, and guided solely by participant welfare and ethical integrity.

The review process

Our committees meet weekly ensuring researchers receive timely decisions without compromising the rigour or independence of the review.

Meetings are supported by a dedicated secretariat, promoting efficiency, consistency and accurate documentation across all reviews.

The process involves:

1. Pre-submission check — the Bellberry administration team confirms each application is complete and ready for committee assessment.

2. Formal HREC review — the committee meets to discuss the submission and make a decision on ethical acceptability.

3. Feedback and resolution — applicants receive feedback via eProtocol, outlining any clarifications or changes needed, with comment and response cycles continuing until the committee can make an outcome decision.

Our Chairs and Deputy Chairs

Each Bellberry HREC meeting is chaired by an experienced member of the research or medical community. Our Chairs and Deputy Chairs bring exceptional expertise across clinical medicine, academia, and ethics governance.

Together, this leadership group provides continuity, consistency, and balanced expertise across all Bellberry committees.

Bellberry HREC Chairs

Name	Role
Professor Michael Ward	Head of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, Adelaide University
A/Professor Mark Slee	Flinders University and Senior Consultant Neurologist in the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN)
Dr Michael James	Chief Medical Scientist, Rheumatology Unit, Royal Adelaide Hospital (retired 2021), Professor, Dept of Medicine, The University of Adelaide (retired 2017)
Dr Barry Chatterton	Associate Professor within the Discipline of Medicine at University of Adelaide (retired), Senior Director Nuclear Medicine Royal Adelaide Hospital and Physician in Nuclear Medicine in private practice (both retired)
Dr Jeff Karrasch	Consultant Physician, St. Vincents Hospital Northside and North West Private Hospitals, Brisbane
Hon Senior Professor Annette Braunack-Mayer	Bioethicist and Professorial Fellow of the Australian Centre for Health Engagement, Evidence and Values at the University of Wollongong (UOW). Retired from her role as Head of the School of Social Sciences at UOW in 2026
Professor Ben Canny	Director, Medical Education, University of Adelaide & Adjunct Professor, Monash University
Ms June Challen	Senior Pharmacist – Investigational Drugs, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Central Adelaide Local Health Network
Reverend Jennifer Hughes	Executive Officer, Mission Resourcing, Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of South Australia
Professor David Currow	Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor and Strategic Professor, Flinders Ageing Alliance at Flinders University, Adjunct Professor of Palliative Medicine at Sydney University of Technology and Honorary Professor at University of NSW
Professor Andrew McLachlan AM	Head of School and Dean of Pharmacy, Sydney Pharmacy School, University of Sydney

Bellberry HREC Deputy Chairs

Name	Role
Professor Paula Swatman	Professor of Information Systems (retired 2016)
Dr Kirsten Staff	Pharmacy Program Director, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, Adelaide University
A/Professor David Foster	Research Integrity Advisor, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, Adelaide University
Professor Stephanie Reuter Lange	Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, Adelaide University