Research Support and Governance

East Metropolitan Health Service has a centralised Research Ethics and Governance (REG) Unit based at Royal Perth Hospital.

Its aim is to improve the efficiency and quality of ethical and governance reviews, especially for multi-site projects and clinical trials, and to support local clinical researchers to understand and meet their regulatory obligations.

The REG Unit provides ethical and governance review of proposed research projects and monitoring of approved research for all EMHS sites including:

  • Armadale Health Service
  • Bentley Health Service
  • Royal Perth Bentley Group
  • East Metropolitan Mental Health Service

Researchers, study co-ordinators and study sponsors should contact the REG Unit as early as possible when planning a new research project or when considering adding an EMHS site to an existing project. 

Research Ethics and Governance forms

A standard set of ethics and governance forms are used throughout WA Health.

WA Health Human Research Ethics Committees accept either the WA Health Ethics Application Form (WAHEAF) or, for multi-site (especially interstate) projects, the NEAF/HREA.

However, it is preferable to use the WAHEAF for projects to be conducted at a single site within WA Health or for multi-site projects only conducted within WA.

The governance review forms are available here. 

Making a submission

All ethics and governance submissions for new research projects can be made via WA Health's Research Governance System (RGS). 

Clinical trials

Royal Perth Hospital has a proud tradition of actively participating in clinical trials, operating on the principle that a strong clinical research foundation enhances the delivery of high quality clinical care. Please contact us to learn more. 

Intellectual property

The identification of Intellectual Property (IP) is an important aspect of our research work.

IP issues can relate to discovery, protection and potential commercialisation of the research undertaken.

The most commonly used forms of protection are:

  • Copyright: Protects the original expression of ideas (not the ideas themselves). Copyright is automatic, whether explicitly claimed or not (i.e. does not require formal registration) and is free of charge. This includes written works, internet and multimedia presentations, computer software and business management systems.
  • Patents: Provide time-limited monopolies over commercial exploitation of inventions or innovations that have acceptable degrees of novelty, usefulness and appropriateness. These require strict formal registration procedures and incur costs that can be quite high.
  • Trademark: Something that is used to distinguish goods and services of one trader from those of another. It is registrable and has associated costs.
  • Design: Protects the appearance of products. It is registrable and has associated costs.
  • Trade secret: Proprietary knowledge (know-how) and other confidential information. Non-registrable, no direct cost, but of limited application in the public domain.
Last Updated: 13/06/2025