The Ethics Office in the SAMRC serves as Secretariat to the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) and the Ethics Committee for Research on Animals (ECRA).

The regulatory, legal and ethical processes underpin and form an integral part of every research project be it human or animal. These processes are vital for assuring the quality and standard of research, i.e. responsible scientific enquiry. Scientific integrity is achieved through training and support for research and by ensuring that research is conducted within an appropriate regulatory, legal and ethical framework.