Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee (HSREC): Assessment Questions Survey

Question Title

* 1. Please provide your name, surname and UFS student/staff number.

Navigating the HSREC Application Process at the UFS: A Guide for University Researchers

Question Title

* 2. What is the primary role of the Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee (HSREC)?

To recruit participants for university studies

To safeguard the rights and well-being of research participants

To provide funding for health research projects

To publish research findings on behalf of researchers

Question Title

* 3. Which legislation provides the legal mandate for the HSREC?

Research Integrity Act of 2001

National Health Act No. 61 of 2003

Higher Education Act of 1997

Protection of Personal Information Act of 2013

Question Title

* 4. Where should researchers submit their HSREC ethics applications?

On the UFS main website

Via email to the HSREC chairperson

Through the faculty administrative office

Through the RIMS online portal

Question Title

* 5. Which of the following is NOT a possible HSREC review outcome?

Conditional approval

Automatic approval without review

Request for modifications

Full approval

Question Title

* 6. Which document is mandatory for an HSREC submission?

A personal motivation letter

A summary of previous research projects

The final research protocol

A letter of recommendation from a colleague

Question Title

* 7. Which of the following must be included if personal information will be processed?

A data management plan

A participant rewards schedule

A media release form

A project marketing plan

Question Title

* 8. Which of the following must be included if personal information will be processed?

A project marketing plan

A media release form

A participant rewards schedule

A data management plan

Question Title

* 9. When may a researcher begin collecting data for their study?

Immediately after submitting the application

Only after formal HSREC approval has been granted

After receiving verbal approval from a supervisor

After addressing feedback but before final approval

Question Title

* 10. What is a common issue that causes delays in HSREC application processing?

Including a detailed study budget

Submitting too many supporting documents

Using outdated or missing forms

Submitting applications early

Question Title

* 11. Who should researchers contact for technical assistance with the RIMS platform?

The RIMS support team

The faculty dean

The UFS library

The HSREC chairperson

Question Title

* 12. Where can researchers find additional materials and resources related to HSREC applications?

On the HSREC website

In the university cafeteria

Through student organisations

On social media platforms

Part 1: Approach to Ethics Application in Health Sciences

Question Title

* 13. According to the NHREC, which of the following best defines research?

A once‑off quality improvement activity

Routine operational or service delivery work

A systematic investigation contributing to generalisable knowledge

Any activity conducted within a health facility

Question Title

* 14. Which situation would require submission to a research ethics committee (REC)?

A quality improvement project with no intention to publish

An internal audit for service delivery

A study involving interviews with human participants

A project using only anonymous public‑domain data

Question Title

* 15. Who should apply to a UFS research ethics committee (REC)?

Researchers who already have ethics approval elsewhere

UFS students or staff members conducting research

Only external researchers with national projects

Any researcher working in South Africa

Question Title

* 16. Which type of study may qualify for a minimal risk review?

Case studies involving Department of Health patients

Any study involving biological samples

Studies using public‑domain documents

Research requiring informed consent for new genetic testing not covered in the consent form

Question Title

* 17. When is Free State Department of Health (FS DOH) approval required for a case study or case series?

Only when the NHREC guidance document requires it

Only when the study involves genetic testing

When the patient is from the Free State Department of Health

Only when the researcher is not affiliated with the UFS

Question Title

* 18. Which statement about gatekeeper approval is correct?

The HSREC acts as the primary gatekeeper for all studies

Gatekeeper approval is only needed for clinical trials

Gatekeeper approval is separate from the HSREC process

Gatekeeper approval is optional if ethics approval is granted

Question Title

* 19. When is it advisable to submit different components of a project as separate applications?

When the study involves only secondary data

When the researcher prefers fewer documents

When components have different ethics risk levels

When the project is very short

Question Title

* 20. Which of the following requires written informed consent?

Any study conducted outside the Free State

Any study using anonymised datasets

Any study involving direct or virtual participant contact

Any study using only public‑domain documents

Question Title

* 21. What is required for non‑therapeutic research involving minors in South Africa?

No consent if the child is older than 16

Ministerial consent and parental written consent

Only parental consent

Only verbal assent from the child

Question Title

* 22. What factors determine appropriate participant remuneration according to the TIE principle?

Training, interest, and education

Time, inconvenience, and expense

Travel, income, and employment

Task difficulty, involvement, and expertise

Part 2: Training

Question Title

* 23. What proof of training must all researchers submit before applying to the HSREC?

A certificate of data analysis training

A letter from their supervisor

Proof of ethics training as mandated by the NHREC

Proof of attendance at a research conference

Question Title

* 24. Which statement about Good Clinical Practice (GCP) certification is correct?

GCP replaces the need for all other ethics training

GCP certificates are valid indefinitely

GCP is required for investigators in clinical trials and must be less than three years old

GCP is optional for all researchers

Part 3: Avoiding Common Pitfalls in the HSREC Application Process

Question Title

* 25. What proof must accompany each HSREC application according to the NHREC?

A summary of previous research by the investigator

A draft version of the research protocol

Proof of independent scientific review

A letter of support from the supervisor

Question Title

* 26. Which of the following is a common error that causes delays in HSREC applications?

Submitting documents signed in wet ink

Submitting only final, clean versions of documents

Submitting documents with track changes or comments

Submitting an itemised budget

Part 4: Outcomes

Question Title

* 27. What does a ‘conditional approval’ outcome mean in the HSREC review process?

The modifications must be presented to the full committee

The application has been rejected

The HSREC Admin Office can manage the required administrative or gatekeeper modifications

No further action is required

Question Title

* 28. What does it mean when an application is ‘held over’?

The modifications must be presented to the full committee due to major issues or missing documentation

The reviewers will manage the modifications outside the meeting

Only minor administrative changes are needed

The study has been fully approved

Part 5: Post-HSREC-approval Phase

Question Title

* 29. What must happen before any amendments to an approved protocol can be implemented?

Amendments can be implemented if they are minor

Amendments must first be approved by the HSREC

Amendments only need supervisor approval

Amendments can be implemented immediately after the pilot study

Question Title

* 30. How long is HSREC approval valid before a continuation application is required?

Six months

Twelve months

Eighteen months

Until the study is completed

Part 6: POPIA and How it Relates to the HSREC Application Process

Question Title

* 31. Which of the following is one of the eight POPIA principles?

Data monetisation

Accountability

Unlimited data retention

Open public access

Question Title

* 32. What does personal information include according to POPIA?

Only biometric information

Any data that can identify or describe an individual

Only medical and financial records

Only a person’s name

Question Title

* 33. What is the correct definition of anonymous data?

Data collected without any identifiers ever linked to it

Data collected with a study number and code list

Data collected with identifiers and later stripped of them

Data collected with identifiers but kept confidential

Question Title

* 34. What is pseudonymised data?

Data that is publicly available

Data collected with a study number and a separate code list

Data collected with identifiers but stored confidentially

Data that has been permanently stripped of identifiers

Question Title

* 35. What does deidentification mean?

Data was collected without identifiers

Data was collected with identifiers but later stripped of them

Data shared openly with third parties

Data that contains only opinions and preferences

A minimum score of 70% is required to pass. If you achieve less than 70%, kindly retake the quiz to ensure successful completion.