PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - E Cave AU - S Holm TI - New governance arrangements for research ethics committees: is facilitating research achieved at the cost of participants’ interest AID - 10.1136/jme.28.5.318 DP - 2002 Oct 01 TA - Journal of Medical Ethics PG - 318--321 VI - 28 IP - 5 4099 - http://jme.bmj.com/content/28/5/318.short 4100 - http://jme.bmj.com/content/28/5/318.full SO - J Med Ethics2002 Oct 01; 28 AB - This paper examines the UK’s response to a recent European Clinical Trials Directive, namely the Department of Health, Central Office for Research Ethics Committee guidance, Governance Arrangements for NHS Research Ethics Committees. The revisions have been long awaited by researchers and research ethics committee members alike. They substantially reform the ethical review system in the UK. We examine the new arrangements and argue that though they go a long way toward addressing the uncertainty surrounding ethics committee function, the system favours the facilitation of research over the protection of the dignity and welfare of research participants.