Who is primarily responsible for ensuring ethical research at an institution?

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is primarily responsible for ensuring ethical research at an institution. This oversight role is critical in safeguarding the rights, welfare, and privacy of research participants. The IRB is composed of a diverse group of individuals who review research proposals to evaluate potential risks and benefits, ensuring that studies comply with ethical standards and regulatory requirements.

The responsibilities of the IRB include assessing informed consent processes, reviewing the adequacy of measures in place to protect participants, and monitoring ongoing research activities. It functions as a critical ethical checkpoint that helps to uphold the integrity of the research process, ensuring that it is conducted in a way that respects the dignity and rights of individuals involved.

Other entities, such as funding agencies or institutional leadership, may have roles in supporting ethical research, but the primary authority and responsibility for ethical oversight lies with the IRB. Research participants themselves are not responsible for the ethics of the research; rather, they are the focus of protections that the IRB enforces.