Competing interests: PA is a programme manager for the UK Colorectal Cancer Intelligence Hub, which is supported by Cancer Research UK (grant C23434/A23706). He is also a Specialist Ethics Adviser and Co-Deputy Chair of the Interim Data Advisory Group at NHS England and a lay member of the Ministry of Defence Research Ethics Committee. JC is a Vice Chair of the Ministry of Defence Research Ethics Committee, an Independent Chair of NHS England’s Individual Funding Request Panel, a Commissioner on the Commission on Human Medicines and a Vice Chair of NHS England’s Specialised Commissioning Patient and Public Voice Assurance Group. SEK chairs research ethics committees for the UK’s Ministry of Defence, Health Research Authority and Health Security Agency. He receives income from consulting, writing, teaching and lecturing in research ethics.