National Health Act, 2003 (Act No. 61 of 2003)Chapter 9 : National Health Research and Information73. Health research ethics committees |
| (1) | Every institution. health agency and health establishment at which health research is conducted, must establish or have access to a health research ethics committee, which is registered with the National Health Research Ethics Council. |
| (2) | A health research ethics committee must— |
| (a) | review research proposals and protocols in order to ensure that research conducted by the relevant institution, agency or establishment will promote health, contribute to the prevention of communicable or non-communicable diseases or disability or result in cures for communicable or non-communicable diseases; and |
| (b) | grant approval for research by the relevant institution, agency or establishment in instances where research proposals and protocol meet the ethical standards of that health research ethics committee. |