Unlike some other States, Western Australia’s Guardianship and Administration Act does not make provision for the participation in human research of individuals who are unable to make a reasonable judgment or decision for themselves.
Research Australia’s submission proposes the Act be amended to make specific provision for this purpose. Research Australia’s chief recommendations are that Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs) be responsible for determining whether medical research is safe for individuals who are unable to make a reasonable judgment or decision for themselves to participate in; and that persons responsible be able to decide whether a person who is eligible to participate will do so.