Content area
Full text
In every study, authors are required to report on the ethical considerations of their research. Most readers determine if the study was approved by a review board and if there was participant consent. Readers should understand these two important issues, but they also should be aware of other ethical considerations when reviewing a research article. In this column, I will give an overview of the ethical considerations readers should consider.
Institutional Review Boards
The purpose of an institutional review board (IRB) review is to protect human subjects; there are also proce- dures for protecting animals used in research. Most of these boards are called IRBs, but they can have other names (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services [HHS], 2009). Review of proposals prior to beginning research and ongoing oversight are requirements for all institutions receiving federal funding. The main purpose of the IRB is to protect human subjects by weighing any possible harm against any benefit. Members also are responsible to ensure study participation is voluntary and potential subjects have all the information they need to make an informed decision concerning study participa- tion. IRBs include at least five members, usually a diverse group of individuals knowledgeable about research and also about protecting subjects. In addition, at least one member is external to the institution. In addition, the ongoing monitoring of research includes any complica- tions that occur due to research (Blessing & Niebuhr, 2008).
Consent
Informed consent is an essential part of the research process, and the consent form is reviewed by the IRB. In some cases, such as with surveys, consent may be implied if participants complete the survey. Nonetheless, infor- mation about the conduct of the study is shared with the participants, often as part of the survey instructions. Consent consists of the following: consent should be given freely (voluntary), subjects should understand what is being asked of them, and involved persons must be competent to consent. Disclosure of any alternatives to treatment must be provided. Subjects have the right to withdraw from the research at any time. Particular care is required...