Administrative procedures in the Research Ethics Committee

(ref. article 7 of the rules of the Integrity Committee at UiB)

The Committee will decide whether or not a case it has received should be considered or rejected. If it is rejected, it will be sent back to the faculty with an explanation of why it was rejected.

Should the committee find that the case meets the criteria for consideration, it will base its considerations on the faculty's report and questions. Should new information or submissions be presented after the committee has commenced its considerations, these should, generally, first be referred to the faculty for consideration.

Once a case has been considered, the committee will prepare a reasoned statement that will be communicated to the faculty concerned and others with a legitimate interest in being informed of the outcome.

A decision by the Research Ethics Committee is not an individual decision that can be appealed to a higher body. However the committee's reasoned statement can be included should the faculty or another party with a legitimate interest wish the case to be put before The National Commission for the Investigation of Researc Misconduct. The case may also be put before the Commission if there are particular grounds for doing so.