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Institutional Review Board (IRB)
*BETA Site*
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the College of Coastal Georgia is responsible
for reviewing and approving all research conducted under the auspices of the College
involving human participants. The primary objective of the IRB is to protect human
subjects. We follow The Belmont Report (1979),
which delineates the ethical principles identified by the National Commission for
the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research. The three
major guiding principles of the IRB at the College of Coastal Georgia, reproduced
from The Belmont Report, are the following:
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Respect for Persons:
"Respect for persons incorporates at least two ethical convictions: first, that
individuals should be treated as autonomous agents, and second, that persons with
diminished autonomy are entitled to protection. The principle of respect for persons
thus divides into two separate moral requirements: the requirement to acknowledge
autonomy and the requirement to protect those with diminished autonomy."
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Beneficence:
"Persons are treated in an ethical manner not only by respecting their decisions
and protecting them from harm, but also by making efforts to secure their well-being.
Such treatment falls under the principle of beneficence. The term "beneficence"
is often understood to cover acts of kindness or charity that go beyond strict obligation.
In this document, beneficence is understood in a stronger sense, as an obligation.
Two general rules have been formulated as complementary expressions of beneficent
actions in this sense: (1) do not harm and (2) maximize possible benefits and minimize
possible harms."
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Justice:
"Who ought to receive the benefits of research and bear its burdens? This is a question
of justice, in the sense of "fairness in distribution" or "what is deserved." An
injustice occurs when some benefit to which a person is entitled is denied without
good reason or when some burden is imposed unduly."
These principles were incorporated into "The Federal Policy for the Protection of
Human Subjects" aka " The Common Rule". The IRB at the College of Coastal
Georgia applies "The Common Rule" in reviewing research protocols, participant consent
forms and documents, investigator credentials, etc., to ensure compliance with federal
regulations and ethical guidelines in regards to the safety and well-being of participants
in research.
For Further Information:
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