IRB: Research Involving Human Subjects

In January of 2009 the SCE Board of Directors approved a new policy regarding the acceptance of proposals for presentations at the annual meeting. SCE members who wish to present information gained via research involving human subjects must secure the approval of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to beginning the research they hope to present. In the absence of a statement indicating IRB approval, proposals involving human subjects research will not be accepted by the Program Committee. An ad hoc IRB Policy Committee chaired by Mary Jo Iozzio has composed an “IRB Policy Information Sheet” that indicates the sorts of research that count as human subjects research and the standards that SCE members are expected to follow. This sheet will be the focus of a special session at the 2010 meeting, “IRB: Research Involving Human Subjects.” SCE members who are engaged in human subjects research or are thinking about conducting such research are encouraged to participate. Please review the sheet in advance of the meeting, if possible, and explore the websites to which the sheet is linked. The session will be held Friday, January 8, from 7:45-8:45 am. Bagels, juice, and coffee will be provided (gratis). Presentations will be made by two SCE members with expertise in this area: Joan Henriksen Hellyer of the Mayo Clinic and Todd Whitmore of the University of Notre Dame.