Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

What is the primary responsibility of an institutional review board (IRB)?

1. Protecting the interests of the hospital or the research institution

2. Protecting the rights of the human subjects who participate in research

3. Protecting the researcher and research team from lawsuits

4. Evaluating research protocols and methodology for appropriateness and safety

The correct answer is: Protecting the rights of the human subjects who participate in research

The primary responsibility of an institutional review board (IRB) is to protect the rights of the human subjects who participate in research. This involves ensuring that participants are treated ethically and that their rights, welfare, and privacy are safeguarded throughout the research process. The IRB reviews research protocols to ensure that potential risks to participants are minimized and that informed consent is adequately obtained, thereby emphasizing the ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice in research involving human subjects. While the IRB may also review the methodology for appropriateness and safety, its central mandate focuses on the protection of human subjects rather than solely assessing the methodology or institutional interests. Thus, the emphasis on protecting subjects is crucial to maintaining ethical standards in research, which is foundational to credible scientific inquiry.