All research proposals requiring ethical approval must be submitted to the FPD Research Ethics Committee (FPD-REC) for review before the research commences. Applications must be complete, submitted electronically and prepared in accordance with the FPD-REC Protocol Submission Guidelines.
Prepare your complete research proposal and all supporting documentation relevant to your study.
Use the application checklist and submission guidelines to ensure that all required documents are included.
Email the complete application to the FPD-REC Secretariat before the relevant submission deadline.
The published 2026 submission schedule is shown below. Applications must reach the Secretariat by the relevant submission deadline.
| Round | Submission Deadline | Full Committee Meeting | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 06 January 2026 | 10 February 2026 | Passed |
| 2 | 03 February 2026 | 10 March 2026 | Passed |
| 3 | 03 March 2026 | 14 April 2026 | Passed |
| 4 | 01 April 2026 | 12 May 2026 | Passed |
| 5 | 05 May 2026 | 09 June 2026 | Passed |
| 6 | 02 June 2026 | 14 July 2026 | Passed |
| 7 | 07 July 2026 | 11 August 2026 | Passed |
| 8 | 04 August 2026 | 08 September 2026 | Passed |
| 9 | 01 September 2026 | 13 October 2026 | Passed |
| 10 | 06 October 2026 | 10 November 2026 | Meeting upcoming |
| 11 | 03 November 2026 | 08 December 2026 | Deadline passed |
| 12 | 01 December 2026 | Not listed | Future deadline |
These dates are reproduced from the published FPD-REC 2026 schedule. The final round does not list a full Committee meeting date. Please contact the Secretariat to confirm the applicable meeting and submission arrangements.
Important submission timing: The FPD-REC Protocol Submission Guidelines state that the closing date for protocol submissions is fifteen (15) working days before the Committee meeting. Submitting by the published deadline does not replace the requirement to provide a complete application.
All required application documents must be submitted electronically to the FPD-REC Secretariat.
Email your complete application and supporting documents to the Secretariat on or before the applicable deadline.
Email Your ApplicationCompile the proposal and all relevant supporting documents.
Check the submission guidelines and application checklist.
Send the complete electronic application to the Secretariat.
Every application must include the complete research proposal and the supporting information relevant to the particular study. Use the filters below to find the documents you need.
The complete research proposal. The proposal submitted for scientific or technical review must be the same as the proposal submitted for ethics review. It must include a statement of the ethical considerations involved in the proposed research.
A summary, synopsis or diagrammatic representation (flowchart) of the research protocol.
Names of all researchers, current curricula vitae, affiliations, addresses and contact numbers.
Details of the organisations or institutions involved in the study, including sponsors and funders.
Disclosure of any relevant conflict of interest or other pertinent information.
Participant recruitment procedures, education material such as advertisements, and any other written information to be provided to participants.
A description of the process for obtaining informed consent, together with the Information Leaflet.
Written Informed Consent Forms or Assent Forms, where applicable, in English and in the language of the potential participant. Include the written version of a Verbal Informed Consent Form where applicable.
A list of site details, including the site address and names of the Principal Investigator, sub-investigators, study coordinators and all other research team members.
Description and/or amounts of compensation, reimbursements, gifts or services provided to participants, and any financial costs to participants, where applicable.
Description of the steps to be taken if an adverse event occurs or if a participant experiences injury or harm attributable to participation in the study.
A statement agreeing to comply with the ethical principles set out in the FPD-REC Standard Operating Procedures.
Disclosure of any previous ethics review action by other ethics review bodies, where applicable.
Questionnaires, interview guides, diary cards, computer-based surveys intended for research participants and similar documents.
Letters of permission from relevant bodies, where applicable.
A copy of the study budget, where applicable, together with details of the study funders.
Important: It is the researcher's responsibility to determine which documents are relevant to the specific study seeking approval. If you are unsure about any requirements, contact the FPD-REC Secretariat before submitting.
Download the relevant guidelines and supporting forms to prepare your research ethics application.
The FPD-REC follows a structured screening and review process to assess the completeness, scientific quality and ethical considerations of each research application.
The Secretariat checks that the application is complete and that the correct supporting documents have been included.
Complete and correct submissions are sent to the Scientific Sub-committee for review of scientific soundness.
The proposal is submitted to the FPD-REC for consideration of its methodological, technical and ethical soundness.
The Committee communicates its outcome. Additional information or revisions may be required before approval is granted.
Incomplete applications: The FPD-REC Protocol Submission Guidelines state that applications with incomplete or incorrect documents will be returned no later than one week after receipt by the Secretariat. Please check your documents carefully before submission.
If you have questions about the application process, required documents or submission deadlines, contact the FPD-REC Secretariat for assistance.
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