What is “Peer review”?

Dave Ardron is a member of the public who chairs a national research committee.

Here, he describes one of the ways in which members of the public can get involved in research:  the "peer review" process. 

Transcript

“Peer review in the context of research is usually used when you’re talking about a funding application. 

When a protocol’s been written, the protocol is submitted to a funding body and the funding body will find peers, i.e. people who’ve worked in similar fields to that research or people with an interest in a particular piece of research, to read the protocol and assess it and to ask the question, 'Is this a worthwhile piece of research that could be funded?'

Peers can be everything from lead clinicians on other research studies all the way through to patients and carers who would read the protocol and assess its importance.

There are lots of patients and carers who are involved in peer reviews for funding bodies who would typically read protocols and decide is this a) involving patients and carers in the research and b) is it asking a question and addressing it in a way that is important to patient groups.”

Page last edited: 25 November 2011