Committee

The primary function of the Ministry of Defence Research Ethics Committee (MoDREC) is to safeguard the rights, dignity and welfare of people participating in research. Its remit and working practices are set out in its Terms of Reference.

The Committee scrutinises the ethical implications of all protocols (applications) submitted for research involving human participants, where these are undertaken, funded or sponsored by the MoD. It ensures that the policies, considerations, standards and safeguards set out in JSP 536 are implemented correctly.

MoDREC consists of expert and lay members, with the majority being independent of MoD. Members are appointed in their own right, to participate in the work of the MoDREC as equal individuals of sound judgement and relevant experience .

Appointments to MoDREC are made by the Appointing Authority - Chief Scientific Advisor (CSA) / Surgeon General (SG) - with the support of the Chair of the MoDREC.

Expert Members

The 'expert' members of the committee are chosen to ensure that MoDREC has the following expertise:

1. Relevant methodological and ethical expertise in:

  • applied physiological and psychological research
  • clinical research
  • non-clinical research
  • qualitative or other research methods applicable to human sciences, including medicine and the social sciences.

2. Relevant clinical practice.

3. Experimental design.

4. Statistics relevant to research.

Lay Members

At least one third of MoDREC membership should act as 'lay' members.

Lay members should be independent of the MoD, as employees, and their primary personal or professional interest should not be in biomedical research.

Ideally, lay members should include those with:

a. professional ethical involvement (e.g. ministers of religion);

b. specialist legal experience (e.g. practising or academic lawyers)