An institutional review board, also known as an IRB, is a body that goes over any research proposed on human subjects. Institutional review boards go over things such as research design, consent forms and the language used to explain the study to the subject to ensure that any psychological or physical stress upon the subject is minimized as much as possible and that the subject is adequately informed about the study.

Committee members on an IRB need to place themselves Read the rest of this entry »

Becoming a human test subject is a big decision, bigger than say, looking into Texas Electricity Providers or determining which type of tomato to plant this year. If you’re thinking about getting involved in testing you should know your rights as determined by the IRB. Here are a few questions to ask right up front:
Do you pay? – The reason most people undergo testing is to make money so it’s important to get all your ducks in a row before you begin testing. Find out how much they’ll pay and for how long and ask about extras like time off from work and travel expenses.
Do you have any references? – Any reputable testing facility will have references on file (think past test subjects) that you can contact to get an honest lowdown. Take advantage of this service.
Do you have a contract? – Often overlooked, this is the most important step in understanding and protecting your rights. If you don’t sign a contract and ask the testing facility to sign one, too, there is little the IRB can do to help you out specifically.

An Institutional Review Board is a group of people that are appointed to be on a committee that will give approval, watch the progress of, and review research that involves humans. The different types of research that this board would watch over would be biomedical and behavioral.

When studies are conducted for new drugs or different ingredients that are used within foods, this group will oversee the studies. They will ensure that the guidelines of the studies are being followed as they should. Read the rest of this entry »

Many people first learn about Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) in a university or medical setting, as discussions about IRBs often stem from discussions about biomedical research and studies. Even in the context of a medical research discussion, a person may not understand completely the responsibilities or function of the Institutional Review Board.

The Institutional Review Board, as designated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Human Research Protections ( Read the rest of this entry »

A corporate institutional review board is in charge of ethical standards for research on human subjects performed by a corporation. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration require IRBs to govern research on human subjects in many situations. IRBs also exist in non-corporate organizations such as universities, where they perform a similar function.

In the United States, most medical research on humans is subject to an institutional review board. There is a broad exemption for research on educational strategies and testing. Research on data Read the rest of this entry »

Institutional Review Boards evaluate medical research study programs to safeguard the well-being of humans participating in these types of studies.

A few interesting facts about IRBs that many people are unaware of:

IRBs not only safeguard a human subject’s body and mind, but also his privacy and rights.
IRBs must be diverse. They should attempt to have a balanced representation of men and women members from different professions. Every IRB must also include one person who has a scientific background and one person who doesn’t.
IRB members are not allowed to evaluate their own programs because of conscious Read the rest of this entry »

The most common purpose of an Institutional Review Board–IRB is to maintain the welfare and safety of subjects involved in clinical trials and monitors the research used to obtain information from these trials. IRBs are of paramount importance for a variety of reasons; the ethical side being arguably the most important.
Unfortunately, when we look back over history, treating our fellow humans ethically was of little concern. People were often forced into, deceived or unaware that they were taking part in clinical research. Sadly, many people met horrible and Read the rest of this entry »