Research Ethics: Approval or Exemption letter?
You can now download the Research Ethics Committee's exemption letter, which in many cases is a sufficient alternative to actual research ethics approval.
What does it mean?
Certain journals and foundations require a project’s research ethics to be approved by the institution they belong to. This can apply even if they are not required to apply for permission under the Committee Act, which only covers health research.
To assist researchers in this situation, AU established its Research Ethics Committee in 2019, which acts as an Institutional Review Board (IRB) in cases where researchers must document that the institution has approved the research ethics aspects of their research.
However, this is an offer and not a requirement. Neither Danish law nor AU requires research ethics approval (where a project falls outside the scope of the Committee Act). The Research Ethics Committee has examined the requirements for research ethics approval in a wide range of journals and among the most commonly used foundations. The Committee has found that in many cases where research ethics approval is sought, a letter of exemption is sufficient.
What is an exemption letter?
The Research Ethics Committee will now be able to provide a letter of exemption to researchers employed at AU. The letter explains that approval from the Committee is neither a legal requirement nor a requirement on the part of the university.
If researchers employed at AU wish to use the letter instead of seeking approval, this is now an option. The letter can be downloaded in Danish and English on the Committee's website here.
Who can use the exemption letter?
All researchers employed at AU can use the exemption letter. It can be used, for example, as an attachment to an application for funding or publication.
The exemption letter describes the applicable rules regarding ethical approval in Denmark and at AU, and is signed by the Research Ethics Committee.
Can you still apply for research ethics approval from the Research Ethics Committee?
The answer is yes. The existing approval system will continue as before. The exemption letter is solely a voluntary alternative.
Please note, however, that the Committee only approves empirical studies that collect data from voluntary participants where data collection has not yet commenced.
If a journal or fund requires research ethics approval and a letter of exemption is not sufficient, you must therefore apply before you begin your data collection.
Do you have questions or need help?
If you have any questions about the Research Ethics Committee or the exemption letter, please contact the Research Data Office, which provides secretarial services to the Research Ethics Committee, at [email protected].