Institutional Review Board

ICRW established an in-house Institutional Review Board (IRB) in October 2007. The IRB provides stringent assessment of each research project to ensure that the rights, safety and dignity of human research subjects are adequately protected.

ICRW’s IRB works with our partners and researchers to assure that ICRW-affiliated research is designed and conducted in a manner that:

• Protects the rights of human subjects;
   
• Protects human subjects from risk of harm;
   
• Ensures that the benefits of research outweigh its risks;
   
• Ensures that subjects’ participation is voluntary;
   
• Preserves the dignity of human subjects; and
   
• Ensures that human subjects give informed consent to participate in research, with the exception of specific circumstances approved by the IRB.

ICRW’s IRB also ensures that human subjects research under the jurisdiction of ICRW are conducted in accordance with applicable federal regulations, ICRW policies and applicable international rules and standards.

ICRW’s IRB has eight voting members. The IRB reflects racial, gender and cultural diversity, and includes individuals sensitive to community issues. IRB members have professional and IRB experience or training to critically review research objectives, procedures and conduct in accordance with regulations, laws and professional standards. The IRB has scientific and non-scientific representatives.