Background: In Brazil, resolution 196/96 and its amendments regulate the preservation of rights, respect and dignity of human beings involved in research.
Objective: To analyze the adequacy of Free Communications (FC) presented during the XVIII Congresso Pernambucano de Cardiologia to resolution 196/96.
Methods: During a cross-sectional study, interviews were carried out with the authors of the FC presented at the Congress and the abstracts of the studies were assessed in order to identify the need for previous approval by a Research Ethics Committee (REC).