The Scientific and Ethical Review Board of FGB (VCWE)

You can find all the necessary information about standard ethical review within FGB and the VCWE on the VCWE’s VUweb page. On this page, you will find:

  • References to relevant codes of conduct
  • Steps required prior to submission to the VCWE
  • Templates for information letters and informed consent forms
    • In Dutch and English
    • Versions for participants under 16
  • Information about the ethical review submission portal
  • Contact information for the VCWE

Is ethical review always required?

There are relatively few cases within FGB where ethical review wouldn’t be recommended. Additionally, an increasing number of scientific journals require proof of ethical review before your research article can be published. The VCWE will not provide post-hoc ethical review. To avoid the risk of not being able to publish your work anywhere, it is wisest to err on the side of caution and obtain ethical review.

What happens if I am only reusing existing data?

Even if you are reusing data and aren’t including any active participants, there may still be ethical questions posed by your research, meaning ethical review is still advised. Additionally, there are very often privacy or legal questions that arise when data are reused for new research. If you plan to reuse data for your research, contact the Research and Policy Support Team (REPS) prior to ethical review to ensure that you can (legally) reuse the data.

Insurance for non-medical/non-WMO research within FGB

VU liability insurance covers all research and education activities carried out by VU staff, even when they are doing those activities on location. There are no additional costs associated with the VU’s liability insurance.

You don’t need to provide evidence of the VU’s liability insurance to the VCWE, but if you are working with external partners and the question of liability insurance comes up, you can contact for further support. Where appropriate, a copy of the insurance documentation can be provided to you.