The Only Way Is Ethics? Applying for National Health Service Ethical Approval and Governance for Research with Children
March 2019
in “
Children's Geographies
”
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Studysummary This article reviews the process of obtaining NHS ethical approval for research involving children and highlights the challenges faced in interdisciplinary work, without presenting new research results.
Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
Catherine Wilkinson and Samantha Wilkinson shared their experiences and challenges in obtaining National Health Service (NHS) ethical approval for a study on the impacts of alopecia and hair transplant surgery on children, known as The Hair Study. They emphasized the importance of ethical approval to protect participants and maintain high standards, but also critiqued the complexity of the Integrated Research Application System (IRAS) and the lengthy process, which took over six months and led to the exclusion of children aged 4-6 from their study. The authors highlighted the need for ethical considerations to be situational and responsive, particularly in longitudinal research with children, and suggested that children's geographies could contribute to more ethical research practices. They advised researchers to anticipate delays in project timelines due to the ethical approval process and called for greater inclusion of children in medical research.
