'Consider a Less Risky Alternative': Navigating Ethics Approval in Suicide Research

This paper discusses key themes from the literature on navigating institutional ethics approval for suicide research. We used a narrative review approach to identify recurring issues that Research Ethics Committees (RECs) commonly raise as concerns and the strategies that might be effective to manage the intricacies of institutional processes. Six dominant themes were: risk aversion overshadowing benefits of suicide research; participant agency and informed consent; ethically reflexive practice is not supported through current processes; dominance of quantitative research tradition; lack of standardisation in RECs decision-making; and lack of evidence on risk in suicide research. Four strategies to navigate institutional ethics approval were: relationship-building and dialogue between researchers and RECs; researcher safeguarding strategies; supporting ethically reflexive practice of the researcher; and RECs processes are evidence-based and provide ethical justification. We suggest how to improve institutional ethics processes specifically for suicide research and highlight the need for more insight into REC members' perspectives.