Ethics

The Understanding Society study protocols and research programme – including for the Innovation Panel – are scrutinised by appropriate research ethics committees to provide assurance that ethical obligations are respected at all times.

Ethical approval for the Innovation Panel has been gained for all waves. For waves prior to Wave 12, ethical approval for the Innovation Panel was received as part of the approvals for the Main survey data collection:

• By letter dated 6 July 2007 for Waves 1 and 2
• By letter dated 17 December 2010 for Waves 3 to 5
• By letter dated 20 August 2013 for Waves 6 to 8
• By letter dated 4 October 2016 for Waves 9-11

Since Wave 12, specific ethical approvals have been gained separately for each wave of the Innovation Panel:

• IP12: approval from the NHS Ethics Committee: East of England – Essex Research Ethics Committee reference: 19/EE/0146
• IP13: approval from the University of Essex Ethics Committee reference ETH1920-0863
• IP14: approval from the University of Essex Ethics Committee reference ETH2021-1115 (9 April 2021)
• IP15: approval from the University of Essex Ethics Committee reference ETH2122-0939 (6 May 2022)
• IP16: approval from the University of Essex Ethics Committee reference ETH2223-1128 (4 May 2023)
• IP17: approval from the University of Essex Ethics Committee reference ETH2324-1225 (7 June 2024)
• IP18: approval for the refreshment sample from the University of Essex Ethics Committee reference ETH2425-0780 (6 March 2025); approval for the main data collection from the NHS Ethics Committee: South Central – Hampshire A Research Ethics Committee reference 24/SC/0316.