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

The role of an institutional review board (IRB) is to approve and review research involving human subjects. This is essential to ensure that the rights, welfare, and safety of participants are adequately protected. An IRB evaluates research protocols to assess potential risks and benefits, ensuring that ethical standards are upheld and that participants provide informed consent.

This function is critical in maintaining the integrity of research practices and safeguarding human subjects from unethical treatment. Researchers must submit their study proposals to the IRB for evaluation before commencing their work, making the IRB a pivotal entity in ethical medical research involving people.

The other options pertain to different responsibilities within the healthcare system. Hospital administration policies fall outside the purview of an IRB, as do aspects of providing legal counsel or managing patient feedback. These functions are typically handled by other departments within a healthcare institution, emphasizing that the IRB's specific focus is distinctly on the ethical aspects of research with human participants.