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HealthRef: https://www.health.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/NDoH-2024-v3.2-master-signed.pdf

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Source domain: health.gov.za

Collected on 25 June 2026

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What this means

This document is the NDoH 2024 (3rd edition, version 3.2) publication titled “South African Ethics in Health Research: Principles, Processes and Structures”. It is issued under the National Health Research Ethics Council (NHREC) and the National Department of Health (NDoH) to provide binding national norms and standards for ethical health and health-related research in South Africa involving human participants and the use of animals for human health purposes. It replaces the 2015 (2nd edition) guidelines and explains the ethical principles, the ethics review process, and expectations for registered Research Ethics Committees (RECs) and Animal Research Ethics Committees (ARECs). The text also includes a document history noting minor amendments effective in August 2024, March 2025, and May 2026, and provides a download URL for the PDF.

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Download the NDoH 2024 (v3.2) guidelines

You can download the NDoH 2024 third edition (version 3.2) publication “South African Ethics in Health Research: Principles, Processes and Structures”.

Who it is for: members of the public who want to access the NDoH 2024 ethics guidelines
How to act on it: Use the “Click here to download the NDoH 2024” link on the document page to download the PDF.

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Click here to download the NDoH 2024

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Facts

Places

City of Tshwane, Gauteng

Reference

https://www.health.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/NDoH-2024-v3.2-master-signed.pdf

Parties

Issuing authority

Key Takeaways

Title: South African Ethics in Health Research: Principles, Processes and Structures
Edition: 3rd edition; Version 3.2; labelled “NDoH 2024 (v3.2)”
Issuing authority: NHREC under the National Department of Health (NDoH)
Legal mandate: Section 72 of the National Health Act 61 of 2003
Replaces: 2nd edition (2015) DoH 2015 guidelines
Scope: research involving human participants and use of animals for scientific purposes for human health purposes in South Africa
Core ethical principles listed: respect; scientific merit and integrity; justice; care; beneficence
Expectations: independent ethics review before research starts; harm prevention/mitigation balanced against likelihood of benefit
Document history amendments: Version 3.0/3.1 (effective August 2024; March 2025) and Version 3.2 (effective May 2026)
Download URL: https://www.health.gov.za/nhrec-documentation/
Citation details: NDoH 2024; Pretoria: NDoH; 137p; ISBN 978-0-621-52027-9
National Health Research Ethics Council (NHREC)
National Department of Health (NDoH)
Minister of Health Dr MJ Phaahla
Director-General (Dept of Health) Dr SSS Buthelezi
National Health Act 61 of 2003
Research Ethics Committees (RECs)
Animal Research Ethics Committees (ARECs)
South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA)