CENTRAL UNIVERSITY RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEE (CUREC)
CUREC 1 Checklist for the Medical Sciences
The University of Oxford places a high value on the knowledge, expertise, and integrity of its members and their ability to
conduct research to high standards of scholarship and ethics. The research ethics clearance procedures have been
established to ensure that the University is meeting its obligations as a responsible institution. They start from the
presumption that all members of the University will take their responsibilities and obligations seriously and will ensure that
their research with human participants is conducted according to the established principles and good practice in their
fields and in accordance, where appropriate, with legal requirements. Since the requirements of research ethics review
will vary from field to field and from project to project, the University accepts that different guidelines and procedures will
be appropriate.
ONLY FULLY SIGNED TYPE-WRITTEN CHECKLISTS WILL BE ACCEPTED, BY EMAIL
WHAT THIS CHECKLIST IS DESIGNED FOR
This CUREC 1 checklist is designed largely for research that falls within the Medical Sciences and should be used for
research raising less complex ethical issues / research covered by one of the approved procedures already approved
by CUREC.
The full CUREC 2 application is only required where certain project characteristics (e.g. citing of multiple CURECapproved approved procedures, variance to a cited CUREC-approved approved procedure or research raising more
complex ethical issues), result in a more complex set of ethical issues. The checklist below (in particular Section D) will
direct you to a CUREC 2 application if needed.
A CUREC 3 application is required for the administration of licensed drugs or other (non-drug) substance to healthy
volunteers.
WHAT THIS CHECKLIST WILL NOT ASSESS
This checklist does not cover research governance or satisfactory methodology; nor does it cover research which
should be directed to:
(i) *audit* (see glossary and Decision Flowchart for CUREC on our website
www.admin.ox.ac.uk/media/global/wwwadminoxacuk/localsites/curec/documents/Decision_flowchart_for_CUREC.pdf)
(ii) the Health Research Authority (for National Health Service ethics review)
www.admin.ox.ac.uk/media/global/wwwadminoxacuk/localsites/curec/documents/Decision_flowchart_for_NHS.pdf
(iii) Oxford Tropical Research Ethics Committee www.admin.ox.ac.uk/curec/apply/;
The use of an *asterisked word* in this checklist indicates a phrase defined in CUREC’s glossary. The glossary and
further information on the University’s research ethics procedures are available from the CUREC website:
www.admin.ox.ac.uk/curec
Office use only:
IDREC Ref. No.
Date of confirmation that checklist accepted on behalf of IDREC:
(dd/mm/year)
Please complete the sections that follow and follow prompts to stop completion and/or submit other
documents.
Please indicate your answer to all the Yes / No questions by marking ‘X’ in the appropriate box.
Example:
1.
Are you conducting your study on behalf of or at the request of an institution/ company/
service provider?
CUREC 1 Checklist last revised and approved 19 Nov 2015
Yes X
No
Page 1 of 10
SECTION A: filter for projects which may not require CUREC review
(Please mark ‘X’ in the Yes/No column as appropriate to indicate your response.)
1.
Are you conducting your study on behalf of or at the request of an institution/ company/ service
provider?
Yes
No
2.
Does your study primarily aim to monitor and/or improve the performance of a particular
institution/company or service provider?
Yes
No
3.
Will your conclusions be applicable wholly or primarily to that institution/company/service
provider?
Yes
No
4.
Will your project, or material from it, be written up in a peer-reviewed journal or submitted as
part of a student thesis or dissertation?
Yes
No
5.
Are all the data about people to be used in your study previously collected anonymised data
which neither you nor anyone else involved in your study can trace back to the individuals who
provided them (e.g. census data, administrative data, secondary analysis)? Please refer to the
definition of *personal data* in the glossary and FAQ A3 for further guidance.
Yes
No
If you have marked ‘X’ in any of the shaded boxes your study may not require CUREC review. Please check the
CUREC website for more details at www.admin.ox.ac.uk/curec/apply/#d.en.165177.
Please note that many academic journals now request proof of appropriate ethics review and approval when a
submission for publication is made. If your study relates to audit in the NHS you may still need to seek approval of an
NHS ethics committee.
If you have not marked ‘X’ in any of the shaded boxes, please proceed to Section B.
SECTION B: filter for NHS review
(Please mark ‘X’ in the Yes/No column as appropriate to indicate your response.)
1.
Will the research involve *human participants* recruited by means of their status as present
or past *patients of the NHS* or their relatives or carers?
Yes
No
2.
Will the research involve *personal data* of any of the people listed in question B 1 above?
Yes
No
3.
Does the research involve administering any *unlicensed drug* to participants, or
administration of any drug as part of a *clinical trial*, in the European Union (EU)?
(Note: if the research involves administration of a *licensed drug* and is not a *clinical trial*,
then the form CUREC/3 must be completed – please consult the associated guidelines)
Yes
No
Does your research involve the taking of samples that consist of or include cells (considered to
be *relevant material* by the Human Tissue Act) for non-genetic research which will be stored
for more than seven days before being destroyed or rendered acellular?
(Guidance on the collection of biological samples is available on the CUREC website)
Yes
No
5.
Does the research involve use of organs or other bodily material of past and present NHS
patients?
Yes
No
6.
Does the research involve any other *invasive procedure (Class A)* not described above?
Yes
No
7.
Does the research involve human participants aged 16 or over who do not have capacity to
consent for themselves e.g. *people with a mental health or neurological condition*
Yes
No
4.
If you have marked ‘X’ in any of the shaded boxes in Section B please stop work on this checklist as you will need
to submit your proposal to the appropriate NHS ethics committee. Further details may be obtained from the HRA
website http://www.hra.nhs.uk.
If you have not marked ‘X’ in any of the shaded boxes so far, please proceed to Section C.
CUREC 1 Checklist last revised and approved 19 Nov 2015
Page 2 of 10
SECTION C – filter for OXTREC review
(Please mark ‘X’ in the Yes/No column as appropriate to indicate your response.)
1.
2.
Is the study to be funded by the US National Institutes of Health or another US federal funding
agency?
Will you conduct your research wholly outside the EU? If ‘Yes’, will the research involve any of
the following:
Yes
No
Yes
No
(a) a medical, therapeutic, or pharmaceutical intervention of any kind?
Yes
No
(b) participants recruited by virtue of being under the care of a healthcare professional?
Yes
No
(c) identification of conditions which require the attention of a healthcare professional?
Yes
No
(d) an *invasive procedure (Class A)*
Yes
No
(e) use of CUREC approved procedure IDREC_19 for studies investigating experimentallyYes
No
induced pain in adult healthy volunteers.
If you have marked ‘X’ in any of the shaded boxes in Section C please stop work on this checklist as you will need
to submit your proposal to OXTREC which uses separate documentation.
If you have not marked ‘X’ in any of the shaded boxes so far, please proceed to Section D.
SECTION D: filter for CUREC 2 review
(Please mark ‘X’ in the Yes/No column as appropriate to indicate your response. Refer to the CUREC glossary for
terms typed with *asterisk and bold*)
1.
Have you made arrangements to obtain appropriate *informed consent* from participants.
Yes
No
2.
Have you made arrangements to ensure that *personal data* collected from participants will
be held in compliance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
3a. Does your research involve any use of *personal data* obtained from a *third party*?
3b. If ‘yes’, have you checked to ensure that the third party has arrangements in place to permit
disclosure?
4. Does the research involve as participants *people whose ability to give free and informed
consent is in question*?
Your attention is drawn to the University’s Safeguarding Code of Practice.
(Note: participants aged under 16 are generally considered to require consent of a parent or
guardian (only answer ‘no’ to this question if you can cite one of the approved procedures
listed under ‘children’). For participants aged 16-17, consult FAQ C12.
5. Does the research involve any alteration of participants’ normal patterns of sleeping, eating, or
drinking?
6. Does the research involve the administration of any drug or medicinal product including the
administration of foodstuffs or food supplements outside of normal patterns of consumption?
7. Is there a significant risk that the research will expose participants to visual, auditory, or other
environmental stimuli of a level or type that could have short- or long-term harmful physical
effects?
8. Is there a significant risk that the research will induce anxiety, stress or other harmful
psychological states in participants that might persist beyond the duration of the test/interview?
9. Does the research involve exposing participants to any physical or psychological hazard,
beyond those of their usual everyday life, not covered by questions 7 and 8?
10. Does the research involve any *invasive procedures (class B)*?
11. Does the research involve magnetic resonance imaging in the EU outside the terms of the
CUREC approved procedures for non-invasive magnetic resonance investigations in healthy
volunteers, IDREC_17 and IDREC_19, or transcranial magnetic stimulation or transcranial
current stimulation outside the terms of CUREC approved procedures IDREC_21 and
IDREC_22?
(Note that research within the terms of these approved procedures must cite them in Section
E)
12. Will the research elicit information from participants that might render them liable to criminal
proceedings (e.g. information on drug abuse or child abuse)?
13. Does the research involve the *deception* of participants?
CUREC 1 Checklist last revised and approved 19 Nov 2015
Page 3 of 10
14. Will the research require a participant to spend more than 2 hours in any single session on
activities designed by the researcher (NB this time restriction does not refer to situations where
participants are observed going about activities not devised by the researchers e.g.
observation of lessons in schools)?
15. Will the research involve a significant risk of any harm of any kind to any participant not
covered above?
16a Does your application cite more than one CUREC approved procedure?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
16b If ‘yes’, do the cited approved procedures explicitly state that they may be used in combination
Yes
No
with the other cited approved procedure(s)?
If you have marked ‘X’ in any of the shaded boxes in Section D, please consult the flowchart in Section E below and
follow the guidance given for completion of a CUREC 2 application.
No further completion of this checklist is required.
CUREC 1 Checklist last revised and approved 19 Nov 2015
Page 4 of 10
SECTION E : Flow Chart
START HERE
Have you ticked
any shaded box in
Section D?
NO
YES
YES
Was the only shaded box
ticked in Section D,
question 1, concerning
informed consent?
Are you going to apply a
standard set out in a Code of
Practice*/ approved
procedure** governing your
research activity?
YES
NO
NO
Are all aspects of your
project which caused you
to tick a shaded box fully
covered by a research
approved procedure**
which has received
CUREC approval?
YES
Is your research covered by
approved procedures on
Magnetic Resonance Imaging,
Transcranial Magnetic
Stimulation, Transcranial
Current Stimulation, or
experimentally Induced Pain?
NO
Did you answer YES to
question D6 on drugs
etc.?
NO
Enter name of Code of Practice in
Box C below or approved
procedure number in Box A below
and ensure Section F indicates
how the Code or approved
procedure is applied
Please complete form CUREC 2
and submit to the Medical Sciences
Inter-divisional Research Ethics
Committee
Enter the relevant approved
procedure number in Box A below
and proceed to Section F
YES
YES
Please complete forms
CUREC 2 and CUREC 3 for
submission to the Medical
Sciences Inter-divisional
Research Ethics Committee
** Enter the relevant approved
procedure number(s) in Box A
below
NO
Please complete
CUREC 1
checklist
Please complete form
CUREC 2 and submit to
the MS IDREC
*** Your proposal needs to be checked by Clinical Trials and Research
Governance (CTRG) for compliance with the University’s Indemnity Policy.
Each department has a representative who can guide applicants through
this procedure. When you have discussed your application with this
representative, write their name in Box B below. Then send your
application to CTRG prior to submission to MS IDREC
A. Approved procedure number(s) (if required at ** above):
B. Name of departmental representative consulted: (if required at *** above):
C. Code of Practice and section applied (if required at * above):
CUREC 1 Checklist last revised and approved 19 Nov 2015
Page 5 of 10
SECTION F: Application for CUREC 1 approval
Contact details:
1. *Principal researcher*/supervisor (title and name):
2. Name of student (if student research):
3. Degree programme, e.g. DPhil, MPhil, BSc, MSc (if
student research):
4. Status if you are NOT employed by the University of
Oxford, nor a student registered for a degree at the
University of Oxford [e.g. Visiting Researcher].
In such cases a member of the University associated
with the project should be named.
5. Department or Institute name:
6. Address for correspondence (if different from 5 above):
7. University E-mail and telephone contact:
Project description:
8. Title of research project:
9. List all *sites* where project will be conducted:
10. If your research involves overseas travel or fieldwork,
have you completed and returned a travel risk
assessment form? (Bear in mind that this may be
necessary to ensure that the travel or fieldwork is
covered by the University’s travel insurance – see
www.admin.ox.ac.uk/finance/insurance/travel)
Yes
No
N/A
11. Anticipated duration of project:
12. Anticipated start and end dates:
months or
years (maximum 5)
From:
(dd/mm/year)
To:
(dd/mm/year)
13. Name and status (e.g. third year undergraduate; postdoctoral research assistant) of others taking part in the
project:
14. External organisation funding the research
(if applicable – see also Section D):
Does the funding body require some form of monitoring
of the conduct of the research until completion (e.g.
annual ethical re-approval of the study)?
Yes
No
15. Title and brief lay description of *research* (about 150 words), plus description (about 200 words) of the nature
of participants.
When describing the research, please include your criteria for inclusion/exclusion method of recruitment, duration
of tasks/interviews, how professional guidelines are being applied (if applicable) and use to which the results/data
will be put.
When describing participants, please include the number you intend to recruit and the process of obtaining
consent to participate.
Cite the following documents which, if applicable, must be attached:

recruitment and advertisement material

participant information sheet (guidance is at https://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/curec/resources/informed-consent/)

consent form (guidance is at https://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/curec/resources/informed-consent/)

any additional documentation required by a cited approved procedure
http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/curec/resources/protocols/
/Section F, 15. (continued)
CUREC 1 Checklist last revised and approved 19 Nov 2015
Page 6 of 10
SECTION F: Application for CUREC 1 approval (continued)
Project description
15. (continued)
Brief lay description of research (150 words):
Description of participants and obtaining informed consent (200 words):
16. Please indicate what training on research ethics the researchers involved with this study have received, e.g. the
title of the online or in-person course, and date completed (online training available at
http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/curec/training):
SECTION G: NHS Trust Management approval
(Please mark ‘X’ in the Yes/No column as appropriate to indicate your response.)
Does your study involve:
1.
Use of the NHS Trust e-mail domain to make contact with the potential participants (i.e.
staff)?
Yes
No
2.
Any study procedure (including interviews or focus groups) on NHS Trust premises?
Yes
No
3.
Any study procedure (including interviews) using NHS Trust resources?
Yes
No
4.
Any study procedure (including Interviews) during the working hours of the participant if they
are an NHS Trust employee?
Yes
No
5.
Use of NHS Trust data?
Yes
No
If you have marked ‘X’ in any of the shaded boxes, please refer to the Clinical Trials and Research Governance
Office (CTRG) BEFORE you submit your application to MS IDREC.
You may need NHS Trust or NHS Trust R& D Office approval in addition to MS IDREC ethics approval.
Please be aware that time taken to receive approvals noted above is in addition to MS IDREC review.
CUREC 1 Checklist last revised and approved 19 Nov 2015
Page 7 of 10
SECTION H: Methods to be used in the study
(Please mark ‘X’ against as many methods as apply: this information will help the committee understand the nature of
your research and may be used for audit.)
Please
mark ‘X’
Method used:
1.
Unstructured interview
2.
Semi-structured interview.
3.
Structured interview.
4.
Questionnaire (in person)
5.
Questionnaire ( online)
6.
Use of social media
7.
Use of NHS Trust data?
8.
Analysis of existing records.
9.
Participant performs verbal/paper and pencil/computer based task.
10. Measurement/recording of motor behaviour.
11. Audio recording of participant
12. Video recording or photography of participant.
13. Physiological recording from participant
14. Taking a sample of blood or other bodily fluid from participant.
15. Analysis of genetic material taken from a participant.
16. Ethnographic observation.
17. Systematic observation.
18. Observation of specific organisational practices
19. Other (please specify):
SECTION I
(Please mark ‘X’ in the Yes/No column as appropriate to indicate your response.)
Does your research involve sensitive issues, such as illegal or sexual matters?
Yes
No
If you have answered ‘Yes’ to the question in Section I, please provide a copy of the questionnaire raising the issues
that will be used in your research, and proceed to Section J.
Full committee review by the MS IDREC, on the basis of this checklist, the questionnaire and other supporting
documentation that you provide, may be necessary.
All checklists must be submitted by email to ethics@medsci.ox.ac.uk. Please ensure that the checklist, and any email
from the head of department or nominee separately endorsing its submission, are sent from a University of Oxford
email address.
Please ensure that the sections below INCLUDING THE FINAL CHECKLIST are completed.
CUREC 1 Checklist last revised and approved 19 Nov 2015
Page 8 of 10
SECTION J: Signatures
Please ensure this checklist is signed by:
For staff research:
For student research:
1.
*Principal researcher*
1.
*Principal researcher* (project supervisor)
2.
Head of Department (or nominee)
2.
Head of Department (or nominee)
3.
Student researcher
1.
Principal researcher signature/supervisor signature (if student research)
I understand my responsibilities as *principal researcher/supervisor* as outlined on in this form and in the CUREC
glossary and guidance.
I declare that the answers above accurately describe my research as presently designed and that I will submit a new
checklist should the design of my research change in a way which would alter any of the above responses so as to
require completion of CUREC 2 (involving full scrutiny by an IDREC). I will inform the relevant IDREC if I cease to be
the principal researcher on this project and supply the name and contact details of my successor if appropriate.
Signed by principal researcher/supervisor: …………………………………………………………………………………..
Print name (block capitals): ……………………………………………………..
Date: ……………………………………...
I understand the questions and answers that have been entered above describing the research, and I will ensure that
my practice in this research complies with these answers.
Signed by associate/other researcher:……………………………………………………………………………………….
Print name (block capitals): ……………………………………………………..
2.
Date: ……………………………………...
Departmental endorsement signature
I have read the research project application named above. On the basis of the information available to me, I:
(i) consider the principal researcher to be aware of her/his ethical responsibilities in regard to this research;
(ii) consider that any ethical issues raised have been satisfactorily resolved or are covered by CUREC approved
procedures, and that it is appropriate for the research to proceed (noting the principal researcher’s obligation to report
should the design of the research change in a way which would alter any of the above responses);
(iii) I am satisfied that the proposed project has been/will be subject to appropriate *peer review* and is likely to
contribute something useful to existing knowledge and/or to the education and training of the researcher(s) and that it
is in the *public interest*.
Signed by Head of Department or nominee, Director of Graduate Studies for postgraduate student projects;
Director of Undergraduate Studies for undergraduate projects):
Signature: ………………………………………………………………………….
Print name (block capitals): ……………………………..................................
3.
Date: ……………………………………...
Student signature (if student research)
I understand the questions and answers that have been entered above describing the research, and I will ensure that
my practice in this research complies with these answers, subject to any modifications made by the principal
researcher properly authorised by the CUREC system.
Signed by student: ……………………………………………………………….
Print name (block capitals): ……………………………..................................
CUREC 1 Checklist last revised and approved 19 Nov 2015
Date: ……………………………………...
Page 9 of 10
SECTION K: Final check
Please use this section to check that you have completed the following tasks:
Please
mark ‘X’
Have you completed Section F and answered all relevant questions in Sections G-I?
Have you defined all technical terms and abbreviations used?
Have you included copies of any documentation produced in support of your application?
If the appropriate supporting documentation is not included with your application, you will then be
asked to provide this separately. This may well delay the ethical review process, and thus the start
of your research.
Have you included all relevant approvals and supporting letters?
Have you declared conflicts of interest (if any)?
Are all pages (including supporting document attachments) numbered?
Have you signed as principal researcher and gathered signatures of the student (for student research)
and department nominees as appropriate?
HOW TO SUBMIT THE COMPLETED CHECKLIST

Submit the checklist and supporting information to the MS IDREC (email ethics@medsci.ox.ac.uk).

NB applications must be sent by email. Please do not send applications by post.
Note on how to send signatures needed in Section E

If you have obtained handwritten (wet-ink) signatures, please scan them plus the rest of the checklist pages to
create a single PDF document and email through.

Alternatively, we accept ‘electronic signatures’ sent as email confirmations from a University of Oxford email
address. Separate emails should come from each of the relevant signatories as outlined in Section E, indicating
acceptance of the relevant responsibilities.
IDRECs and/or CUREC will review a sample of completed checklists and may ask for further details of any
project.
CUREC 1 Checklist last revised and approved 19 Nov 2015
Page 10 of 10