The retrospective analysis is exempt from ethics approval from the institutional animal care and use committee. (cgejournal.biomedcentral.com)
The very act of applying for ethics approval can also bring to the surface issues that might be lurking within research designs but may not have been recognised even by experienced scholars. (theconversation.com)
If the study does not include ethics approval, the paper will not be sent out for review. (us.sagepub.com)