Institutional Review Boards

An Institutional Review Board (IRB) is an ethics committee within an organization receiving federal funding for conducting research and reviewing proposals for research. The IRB reviews proposals to ensure the project follows ethical principles and federal regulations before it is submitted to a funding agency. The IRB can approve, disapprove, or request modifications be made to projects (American Psychological Association).

​Members in the IRB are selected based on requirements of federal regulations. These members are often employed by the organization and have expertise in the areas of research being reviewed. Members can also be members of the surrounding community who may be physicians, lawyers, bioethicists, and scientists, to name a few backgrounds (UAB Research). Having highly educated members who are experts in their varying fields ensures that the review process is of the highest quality and appropriate scrutiny.

When preparing to conduct research on humans or invertebrate animals, a scientist must submit his research proposal to an IRB before he may begin conducting the research. One of my good friends is currently working on his master’s in biology and will be completing a research project in his final year. He will be conducting behavioral research on Cuban crocodiles to record and analyze their various reactions to hatching calls. He has submitted his research proposal to a branch of the IRB at Brown University where he is a student. This branch, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, is currently reviewing his proposal and pending no required modifications to the proposal he will be able to begin working on his research project at the beginning of next semester.

Reflections

The IRB is a vital part of research. It serves a governing body for research to ensure that no harm comes to any of the subjects being studied, whether they are human or not. Maintaining ethics in research is crucial to maintaining the credibility of the scientific community.

References

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Frequently Asked Questions About Institutional Review Boards. Retrieved from American Psychological Association: https://www.apa.org/advocacy/research/defending-research/review-boards.aspx

UAB Research. (n.d.). Who makes up the IRB? Retrieved from UAB Research: http://www.uab.edu/research/administration/offices/IRB/FAQs/Pages/WhoIRB.aspx

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