The Health Research Board, Dublin, Ireland is inviting members of the public to review aspects of the health research proposals they receive.
According to Dr Siobhán Hendrick, who is implementing this pilot project,
‘Almost everyone* can take part in this public review process.
You do not need previous experience or qualifications.
You may be a patient, carer or health service user currently, or in the past, but this is not a requirement.
We are all potential users of the health services eventually and the opinions of people from all walks of life are important to us.
The HRB will provide training, support and guidance throughout the process’
Each year the HRB receive several hundred research proposals. To date they have been reviewed by experts in the relevant research field, this is known as peer review. Whilst the expert review will continue, the HRB would now like to complement this with the views of the public reviewers.
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