Each clinical trial to be conducted at a site within SA Health and sponsored by a third party external to SA Health must be governed by a written agreement clarifying the obligations and responsibilities of the parties involved in the trial.
Clinical Trials require both ethical approval from the relevant HREC and governance authorisation to commence at SA Health sites.
The research governance review process for clinical trials may involve (but is not limited to) assessment of the following:
- Compatibility of the research project with the CALHN’s research aims
- Feasibility of the research project with consideration of the required resources at CALHN (e.g. financial, human resources, infrastructure)
- Expertise and experience of researchers, and ensuring that training for research staff is undertaken as required
- Compliance of the research project with relevant laws, policies and guidelines (e.g. radiation safety,
- Confidentiality, intellectual property, biosafety and licensing standards).
For further information about CALHN approval processes for Clinical Trials email. [email protected]
Information about post-approval monitoring requirements for clinical trials is located under the Safety Monitoring here
Please note: SA Health has updated the SA Health Research Ethics and Governance Fee Schedule effective 01 July 2023. The updated Fee Schedule is located here
Research GEMS – Submission guidelines
SA Health has implemented a new research application management system called Research Governance and Ethics Management System (Research GEMS) to replace Online Forms for submission of HREA and SSA applications.
Researchers must ensure that all relevant study documentation (eg study protocol, Participant Information and Consent Form etc) are provided via Research GEMS, in addition to completion of the relevant form(s).
CALHN GEMS Guideline – Preparing Project Registration and HREA
CALHN HREC Submission Covering Letter
CALHN GEMS Guideline – Preparing SSA Applications
CALHN GEMS Guideline – SSA Part C – Approvals from Departments and Services
CALHN Research GEMS Demonstration – BHI Presentation Slides 08 April 2021
Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement (CDA)
All confidentiality agreements must be reviewed by the CALHN Research Office.
The contracting party must always be Central Adelaide Local Health Network Inc (CALHN) and NOT the Principal Investigator. Principal Investigators must NOT sign CDAs on behalf of CALHN.
Wherever possible, Clinical trial-related CDAs should be mutual (i.e. all parties will be sharing confidential information).
This is in order to protect any CALHN confidential information that may be shared with the Clinical Research Organisation (CRO) and/or the study sponsor.
CALHN Clinical Trial Confidentiality Agreement Guideline & Checklist
CALHN Clinical Trial Mutual Confidentiality Agreement Template
Clinical Trial Research Agreement (CTRA)
All Clinical Trial Research Agreements must be reviewed by the CALHN Research Office.
Medicines Australia Clinical Trial Research Agreement templates are available here.
CALHN Clinical Trial Contract and SSA Submission Guideline & Checklist
CALHN Clinical Trial MA and MTAA Standard and CRO CTRA Guideline & Checklist
CALHN Clinical Trial CRG and Phase IV CTRA Guideline & Checklist
CALHN Clinical Trial SEBS Schedule 7 and 4 Special Conditions to a CTRA Guidance
CALHN Clinical Trial Forms of Indemnity Guideline & Checklist
CALHN Agreement Parties and Signatories Guideline
CALHN Research Electronic Signature Platforms Information
Contract Review
All research contracts require review by the Research Office.
The Research Contracts Officer negotiates contact terms regarding these agreements between various parties and CALHN, including staff members, Universities and other Hospitals, SAHMRI and National and International companies.
Intellectual Property and/or Finance (other than a grant) agreements also require review.
Contact the Research Contracts Officer for further information.
Site Specific Assessment (SSA)
The Site Specific Assessment (SSA) Form should be used for governance assessment of research projects involving more than low risk to participants, and where the research proposal has been submitted for ethical and scientific review using the National Ethics Application Form (NEAF).
The SSA process considers the following:
- Adequate resources (financial, human, equipment and infrastructure) for the research to proceed at the site and identified as appropriate, accountable and available;
- Researchers have the necessary expertise and experience (Medical Officers must be credentialed by the CALHN Credentialing Office in order to conduct clinical research); if not, relevant training is planned before carrying out their role in the research study.
- Compliance with relevant laws, policies and codes of conduct relating to matters such as privacy, confidentiality, consent, bio-safety, professional standards, and radiation safety.
SSA submissions for clinical trials must be submitted via Research GEMS
CALHN Clinical Trial GEMS Project Registration and SSA Guidelines
Invoicing and Fee Form – Governance and Ethics
CALHN Clinical Trial Study Team Declaration
CALHN Research Department Head Declaration
CALHN Clinical Trial Data Custodian Declaration (if applicable)
CALHN Participant Information and Consent Form Guidance – CALHN HREC
CALHN Participant Information and Consent Form Guidance – External HREC
SA Health Legal Governance and Insurance Services Research Trials Flowchart
Project Resourcing
All applications must provide a detailed budget approved by the appropriate delegate.
CALHN Guideline for Clinical Trials Budgets, Payments & Invoicing
ICH/Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Training
The following are links to free on-line ICH/Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training modules:
- Syneos Health (formerly INC Research): https://www.shclinicalsiteeducation.com
- Global Health Network Training Centre: https://globalhealthtrainingcentre.tghn.org/ (also available: Introduction to Clinical Research)
Each require the user to register for a login before commencing the training modules.
Useful Links
The following links contain information regarding research ethics, research governance and conduct, and information privacy.
NHMRC National Statement on Ethical Conduct of Human Research (2007)
Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2007)
Australian Privacy Principles (2014)
Ethical Review – National Mutual Acceptance
Australian state and territory Departments of Health have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for mutual acceptance of scientific and ethical review of multi-centre human research projects undertaken in Public Health Organisations, known as the National Mutual Acceptance scheme (NMA).
CALHN is a participating NMA organisation and the Central Adelaide Local Health Network HREC is a NMA Certified Human Research Ethics Committee.
Please note: Under the SA Health Research Ethics Policy Directive South Australian public health institutions do not accept HREC approval under the NMA scheme for First in Human, Phase 0 and Phase 1 Clinical Trials, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander projects. These projects must be submitted for ethical review by a SA Health HREC.
Further information about CALHN HREC member composition, meeting dates, submission deadlines and contact details is available here.
Further information about the National Mutual Acceptance scheme, and a list of participating HRECs and Organisations is available here.