I recently met a researcher who asked about human subjects research in a school setting. In exploring options for research when working with young children in typical educational settings, the researcher expressed her frustration with the “red-tape” she felt stood between her and the research she wanted to conduct. This was not the first time this sentiment was expressed in the IRB office, and it certainly will not be the last. The many federal and institutional policies may often feel like senseless hurdles to researchers, rather than thoughtfully developed protections for research participants. For researchers who feel this way or others who may just be curious about how protections for human subjects came to fruition, TC IRB would like to introduce a new series on this topic, aptly named, “Ethics and the IRB.” This upcoming series will unpack some of the ethical reasoning behind federal and institutional policies. It will wrestle with questions such as, “Why is research that involves deception always reviewed at the full board level?” or “Why does the IRB review each protocol on a case-by-case basis?”
Humans have contemplated the application of ethics to daily life for centuries. Early rationalizations for ethical conduct harken back to Greek philosophers. Since those early foundations, the Western world has continued to grapple with ethical dilemmas in every century; some unique to historical place and context, and others more generalizable across time.
Today's researchers are no different; researchers working with human participants often encounter difficult ethical dilemmas, usually pitting research outcomes against the protection of individual participants. Examples of when researchers have abused their power are unfortunately all too frequent. During World War II, there were numerous examples of horrific human subjects’ experimentation, atrocities committed against ethnic groups in the name of “research,” and grotesque ethical violations. Post-war institutions committed to preventing repeated events formed the Nuremberg Code, which later fueled the creation of the Belmont Report, one of the IRB’s guiding documents on ethical conduct in biomedical and behavioral research.
The principles outlined in the Belmont Report are the foundations upon which an IRB stands. These principles serve as a signpost for all individuals conducting human subjects research. While the Belmont Report may seem straightforward, it is important for researchers to carefully and critically examine the application of IRB policies to their specific research. The “Ethics and the IRB” series seeks to not only aid researchers in this application of sound ethical practices, but also contribute to a greater dialogue on the use and regulation of ethics in this ever-evolving, modern world.