In which scenario might an institution consider itself engaged in research involving human subjects?

When an institution conducts interviews with individuals, it enters a scenario where it may be considered engaged in research involving human subjects. This is because interviews typically involve direct interaction with people, gathering personal insights, opinions, or sensitive information, which requires adherence to ethical considerations outlined in human subject protection regulations. Such activities demand the institution to ensure informed consent, protect participants' privacy, and minimize risk, thus highlighting a clear engagement with human subjects.

Using only secondary data typically does not involve direct interaction with human subjects, as it usually involves information previously collected by others that does not identify individual participants. Research focused solely on animal subjects clearly falls outside the scope of human subjects research. Furthermore, funding by an external agency is not a requisite for determining if research involves human subjects; research can involve human subjects irrespective of funding sources. Hence, the engagements described in the interview scenario directly relate to the essential definitions and responsibilities that come with researching human subjects.