Streamlined IRAS process for Be Part of Research
Date: 18 September 2026
The IRAS process for adding the NIHR’s Be Part of Research volunteer registry as a recruitment/referral route has been significantly simplified. This important change will make it quicker and easier for researchers and sponsors to use the NIHR’s flagship registry to support study recruitment, including for studies already open for recruitment.
Following a Health Research Authority (HRA) Research Ethic Committee (REC) approval of the platform as a sign-up register research database, two major administrative hurdles have been removed:
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No automatic substantial modifications: Researchers no longer need to submit a substantial modification – if adding Be Part of Research is the only change to an existing/open study.
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Lighter document submissions: In addition, researchers do not need to submit specific Be Part of Research materials (such as volunteer information pages, pre-screeners, or outreach emails) as additional documents for REC review solely because they sit on the platform. This applies provided those materials simply reflect your study’s approved protocol, eligibility criteria, and participant-facing information.
The Be Part of Research registry provides a powerful way for researchers to share study opportunities with a research-ready community of over 730,000 volunteers from across the UK. Read more here.