Research Ethics Committee President Introduction
The overarching objective of clinical research is to develop generalizable knowledge to improve health and/or increase understanding of human biology Ethical requirements for clinical research aim to minimize the possibility of exploitation by ensuring that research subjects are not merely used but are treated with respect while they contribute to the social good
These 7 requirements for considering the ethics of clinical research provide a systematic framework to guide researchers and IRBs (Institutional Review Boards) in their assessments of individual clinical research protocols. Like a constitution, these requirements can be reinterpreted, refined, and revised with changes in science and experience. Yet these requirements must all be considered and met to ensure that clinical research— wherever it is practiced—is ethical.
Scope and Purpose
The purpose of the REC is to protect the rights, safety, and welfare of all research subjects. To achieve this, the REC must advise investigators in designing research projects in a manner to minimize potential harm to human subjects, review all planned research involving human subjects prior to initiation of the research, approve research that meets established criteria for protection of human subjects, and monitor approved research to ascertain that human subjects are indeed protected.