Institutional Review Board (IRB)

The IRB, an autonomous and independent board (see opposite page for current membership), implements a review process established by the Code of Federal Regulations to ensure that human subjects research complies with federal regulations, institutional policies and ethical standards. The IRB protects the rights, and ensures the safety, of people involved as participants in research. The IRB also provides assistance to investigators involved in human subject’s research in complying with federal and state regulations and institutional standards. The IRB is guided by ethical principles set forth in the Declaration of Helsinki (1964) and Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research, also known as the Belmont Report (1978).