Improving the process of research ethics review

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Clinical Research Oversight

Background:

• Research Ethics Boards (REBs), also known as Institutional Review Boards, are crucial for safeguarding human research participants.
• REBs provide independent evaluations to ensure research compliance with standards and regulations.

Discussion:

• The increasing volume of human participant research has led to a rise in REB workload and responsibilities.
• Systematic examination of REB processes is lacking, despite common dissatisfaction with review times.

Key Insights:

• A workflow model is presented to illustrate REB operations, stakeholder roles, and accountabilities.
• Identifying inefficiencies in REB processes is essential for improving research review.

Outlook:

• A deeper understanding of research ethics review components can facilitate performance target setting.
• Targeted solutions can be developed to address identified problems and enhance the overall review process.