Review outcomes

Possible outcomes

On considering the ethical implications of a project, ethics reviewers decide on one of the following possible outcomes:

Approved

The project can go ahead with no changes.

Approved with suggestions 

The project can go ahead but the applicant may wish to consider suggestions made by the reviewer(s). These changes are optional.

Requires compulsory changes

The project cannot go ahead until the required changes have been made. The reviewer(s) must see the revised version of the application and subsequently approve it. If compulsory changes are required, instructions will be provided on how these changes need to be highlighted or made. It is important to follow the instructions to ensure that the application is reviewed promptly.

View the process for amending an ethics review 

Not approved

The project cannot proceed, for reasons that should be clearly specified by the reviewer(s).

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Appeals

If an application is not approved as a result of an initial ethics review, you may appeal against the initial decision by contacting the department’s Ethics Administrator, who should arrange for the Ethics Review Panel or equivalent to review the application. Such an appeal can only be made through the department to which the initial application was submitted.

If you wish to appeal against the decision of an Ethics Review Panel or equivalent, you should contact the Secretary to the UREC, Lindsay Unwin (l.v.unwin@sheffield.ac.uk), who will arrange for the UREC to review the application. If the matter is urgent, this may be arranged through Chair’s action, in consultation with other committee members. The UREC’s decision is final.