Ethics
The primary role of an ethics committee is to protect the welfare and rights of research participants. Australian Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs) are generally comprised of people with and without a health research background who, as a group, will only approve a study if it is conducted with integrity and respects the welfare of participants. The ASR involves the collaboration of multiple hospitals, hence this study has been reviewed and approved by multiple HRECs.
All aspects of the ASR have been reviewed and are conducted and monitored in accordance with:
- The Australian Government’s National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023)
- The Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018).
Melbourne Health is the lead ethics committee for the ASR.
Ethic Approval Number: HREC/16/MH/93
Governance
The registry will also provide regular reports to the multiple ethics committees and research governance bodies overseeing the project.
When a surgeon wishes to participate in the Spine Registry, it is necessary to obtain research governance approval for the site the surgeon is operating at. This process is in place to assist with oversight and monitoring of the research, to maintain standards for privacy and security. The Australian Spine Registry is regularly adding new hospital sites and surgeons to its list.
Hospitals participating in the registry
- John Hunter Hospital
- Lake Macquarie Private Hospital
- Macquarie University Hospital
- Nepean Public Hospital
- Nepean Private Hospital
- Newcastle Private Hospital
- Prince of Wales Hospital
- Prince of Wales Private Hospital
- St George Hospital
- St George Private Hospital
- Princess Alexandra Hospital
- Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
- Royal Adelaide Hospital
- Calvary Private Hospital – Lenah Valley
- Ballarat Base Hospital
- Epworth Eastern
- Epworth Geelong
- Epworth Richmond
- Royal Melbourne Hospital
- St John of God Ballarat Hospital
- The Avenue Hospital
- Warringal Private Hospital
- Royal Perth Hospital
- St John of God Subiaco Hospital
