Commentary on Sections Part 3 - Health Establishment Section 109 – The Health Research Authority
664.This section establishes a new body to be known as the Health Research Authority (HRA). The HRA is to have functions relating to health and social care research which are conferred in other sections in this chapter.
665.The HRA is to replace the Special Health Authority (SpHA) also known as the Health Research Authority and take on its functions, which include those relating to reviewing the ethics of research proposals in England. Like the SpHA, the HRA will have the objective of protecting and promoting the interests of actual and potential participants in health and social care research and the general public by facilitating and promoting high quality research that is safe and ethical. Subsection (3) abolishes the SpHA and the relevant instruments establishing it and conferring functions on it. Subsection (4) makes provision for the Secretary of State to make an order to transfer the property, rights and liabilities from the SpHA to the HRA.