As a result of the retirement of a long-standing member, the Department of Health is inviting applications from interested members of the public who wish to be considered for appointment as a lay member of the Isle of Man Local Research Ethics Committee (LREC).
LREC consists of both professional and lay members. The role is to provide independent advice to the Department of Health, and to all those involved in research about health-related topics, on the extent to which the research proposals comply with recognised ethical standards. The Committee reviews research proposals, primarily in the interests of researchers, and seeks to protect the dignity, safety and wellbeing, as well as the interests and rights of potential research participants. In particular, it is careful to ensure that sound principles of justice and fairness are applied, and that any regulation or legal requirements are met.
There are no formal qualifications required for lay membership but lay members must be independent from the Department of Health and the Department of Social Care. Their primary personal or professional interest should not be in a research area nor should they have been practicing in a medical or clinical role within the last five years. Half the lay membership is made up of people who have never been health or social care professionals or involved in research involving human participants, data or tissue. The Committee meets every two months at Noble’s Hospital, normally at 5 pm on Wednesday evenings, and members are appointed initially for a fixed term of five years.
