Local Research Ethics Committee (LREC) approval
(absolute minimum 2 months before scanning)
In order to be allocated slots on the CBU scanner, you need official ethics approval either from the [http://www.addenbrookes.org.uk/serv/resethics/lrec1.html Cambridge Local Research Ethics Committee (LREC)] or another [http://www.corec.org.uk/ LREC within the region]. Applications to Cambridge are likely to be processed more smoothly than applications elsewhere as the Cambridge Committee are aware of, and have formerly approved, our Standard Operating Procedures. However, the Cambridge LREC can only review a relatively small number of applications per month and they are usually over subscribed several months in advance. Therefore, we recommend that you contact the [http://www.addenbrookes.org.uk/serv/resethics/lrec1.html Cambridge LREC] in order to book a slot on their agenda as early as you possibly can. If they do not have a slot within a reasonable time frame they can advise you which Committee does have slots available and provide you with contact details.
It is possible that someone in your research group has already acquired LREC permission for your study and to run your experiment you only need to become an additional named investigator on that application. This would normally take two weeks (via an on line substantial amendment by the principal investigator on the original LREC application) to set up. Otherwise, you need to submit a full application, which is a substantial document available online at the [http://www.corec.org.uk/ Central Office for Research Ethics Committees (COREC)]. For more details about what is involved, contact someone who has recently submitted a protocol in your group, or contact [mailto:lucille.murby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk Lucille Murby].