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Twitter users searching for #HRAtips can get advice on submitting studies for HRA Approval as part of a new campaign to help applicants avoid common mistakes in their research proposals.

‘Significant progress’ has been made in medical research regulation and governance over the past 5 years, according to a report of an Academy of Medical Sciences workshop published this week.

A combined IRAS form that merges the Research Ethics Committee (REC) and R&D forms is now being used across the UK.

We have developed six new eLearning modules as an aid for researchers, R&D staff, study sponsors, research ethics committee members and the wider research community.

The use of electronic signatures and authorisations is becoming increasingly common. We’ve had queries about their validity in protocols and other documents and we’d like to clarify that we accept them as an alternative to ink signatures.

Janet Wisely is to step down as Chief Executive of the Health Research Authority. Janet has experienced an unexpected and life changing health situation, which has meant significant adjustments. After careful reflection and discussion with her family and colleagues, she is now stepping down after concluding that she is unlikely to recover the mental or physical stamina that is required for that very demanding role.

It is a source of real pride across the HRA to see how many health research studies the HRA has reviewed. Since we fully implemented HRA Approval last March, more than 5,000 applications have been approved by our expert teams.

If you are a regular visitor to the HRA’s current website, you may share the view of many of our users that the site is increasingly difficult to navigate and it can be hard to find the information you need.

The HRA is working with the devolved nations to develop an integrated, UK-wide approach for undertaking technical reviews on research involving pharmacy and/or ionising radiation.

We are an organisation committed to collaboration – listening to and working with others to identify and make improvements to the health research environment.

Recommendations to the government on the long-term success of the UK life sciences sector have been published today. Life Science’s Champion Professor Sir John Bell’s report aims to put the UK in a world-leading position to take advantage of the health technology trends of the next 20 years through the establishment of the Health Advanced Research Programme.

Earlier this summer the HRA published its annual report. Among the detailed review of twelve months’ of work, there are some particularly interesting statistics that we’d like to share:

We've improved the HRA website to make it easier to navigate and find information. It's a work in progress.

The Social Care Research Ethics Committee currently has vacancies for expert members who are interested in thinking about the issues from the perspective of a potential research participant and would like to develop knowledge of research ethics. We're particularly interested in receiving applications from health care or social work professionals working in mental health or social care.

Transparency, public involvement, safety and proportionality must be at the centre of UK health research, a new position statement published today has demanded.

Studies involving human tissue can improve our understanding of health and disease, and ultimately lead to improved healthcare. But evidence supplied by the UKCRC Tissue Directory and Coordination Centre suggests some tissue in banks goes unused by researchers because it is not adequately linked to patient data or not linked to future health data.

The HRA's Collaboration and Development Manager, Will Navaie, describes how the HRA is looking at ways of breaking down barriers to researchers using biobank resources in the UK.

Three new HRA eLearning modules are now available.

A new initiative to explore how research waste can be reduced has been taken up by two researchers who chair HRA Research Ethics Committees (RECs).

Researchers should not waste time completing inappropriate training, according to updated HRA guidance. Instead, researchers should be appropriately trained by qualifications and experience for their role.