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FAQ: National Ethics Application Form (NEAF)
FAQ: National Ethics Application Form (NEAF)
Do I have to use the NEAF?Do HRECs have to accept the NEAF?How do I access the NEAF?How do I submit the NEAF once it’s completed?Can the NEAF be submitted electronically?Can I track the progress of my NEAF application electronically?What’s the difference between the NSW NEAF and the NHMRC NEAF?I’ve already completed the NHMRC NEAF, do I still need to complete the NSW version?Who is required to sign the NEAF?Who is the applicant?Where do I get the HREC Application Reference Number?How do I make changes to the NEAF once it’s locked?Where can I get more information/advice?
Do I have to use the NEAF?
Applications for ethical review of multi-centre research within the NSW public health system must be made using the NEAF. For single-site studies, HRECs may accept research proposals submitted on the HREC's own application form. Where the NEAF is not used, investigators must also complete the privacy questions outlined in the NSW Health policy 'Human Research Ethics Committees: National Ethics Application Form - Application within NSW Health', which can be accessed at:
Do HRECs have to accept the NEAF?
Yes. All HRECs (whether or not they are lead HRECs) must accept applications submitted on the NEAF.
How do I access the NEAF?
NEAF can be accessed from the NSW Health online forms website at: www.ethicsform.org/au. The first time you access the website you will need to create an account (this takes a few minutes). To do so, log-in to the on-line forms website, click on the 'create account' button on the main menu and fill in the details.
How do I submit the NEAF once it's completed?
Once the NEAF is completed, it must be locked, printed and submitted to the lead HREC in paper copy. An HREC will not accept a NEAF that does not have a locked code. The number of paper copies required is determined by the individual HREC.
Can the NEAF be submitted electronically?
No.
Can I track the progress of my NEAF application electronically?
Yes. Progress can be tracked electronically through the online forms website.
What's the difference between the NSW NEAF and the NHMRC NEAF?
Essentially the two forms are the same. NSW Health uses a licensed copy of the NHMRC NEAF. The questions on the NSW Health online form are identical to those on the NHMRC form. The only difference between the two forms is that the NSW Health online form allows data to be imported into the Australian Research Ethics Database (AU RED) which is an administrative database used by HRECs to track and manage the progress of research ethics applications.
I've already completed the NHMRC NEAF, do I still need to complete the NSW version?
Yes, however data can easily be imported from the NHMRC NEAF into the NSW version.
Who is required to sign the NEAF?
Prior to submission of the NEAF, the co-ordinating investigator must sign the declaration at the end of the form. It is not necessary for the principal investigator at each site to sign the form that is submitted to the lead HREC. However, the principal investigator should sign a copy of the form and maintain it on their file for audit purposes.
Who is the applicant?
The coordinating investigator should be listed as the applicant on the NEAF.
Where do I get the HREC Application Reference Number?
You can obtain a reference number from the Executive Officer of the HREC that you are submitting your application to. Alternatively, this field can be left blank.
How do I make changes to the NEAF once it's locked?
The form cannot be amended once it has been locked. While it is possible to create a duplicate of the form, which can be edited, this is recommended in exceptional circumstances only due to administrative difficulties caused by the generation of additional locked codes, when the duplicate form is locked. Instead, amendments should be addressed separately in a letter to accompany the application.
Where can I get more information/advice?
Technical support for the NEAF and SSA Forms is available from the IT helpdesk (available 10am to 4pm AEST Mon to Fri):
Telephone: 02 9037 8404
E-mail: helpdesk@infonetica.net
Online help, including web-based demonstrations, is available from the online forms website at: www.ethicsform.org/au
For advice on completing questions on the NEAF, you should contact the Executive Officer of the HREC to whom the application will be submitted. Contact details for NSW Health HRECs are available on the NSW Department of Health at: www.health.nsw.gov.au/ethics/research/
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