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Institutional Review Board Obligations Regarding Study Funding Sufficiency
Holly Fernandez Lynch1, Tasneem Mohammad2
1Associate professor of medical ethics in the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) must ensure clinical study funding to protect participants and research integrity. IRBs should withhold approval for underfunded studies, except in rare, transparent cases with clear contingency plans.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Clinical Research Administration
Background:
- Underfunded clinical studies pose ethical risks, including failing social value requirements and harming participants.
- Inadequate funding can lead to early study termination, jeopardizing research integrity and participant welfare.
- The
- completion misconception
- can impair informed consent for participants in studies at risk of early closure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To argue that Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) have an ethical obligation to prevent early termination of clinical studies due to insufficient funding.
- To outline the ethical concerns associated with underfunded research and propose solutions for IRBs.
Main Methods:
- Ethical analysis of research funding obligations.
- Review of potential harms to participants from underfunded studies.
- Proposal of procedural changes for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) regarding study funding.
Main Results:
- Underfunded studies violate ethical principles, including social value and participant well-being.
- IRBs should typically withhold approval for studies lacking confirmed funding.
- Exceptional approval for underfunded studies requires full disclosure, participant safety, and a clear funding plan.
Conclusions:
- IRBs must proactively assess and ensure study funding to uphold ethical research standards.
- IRBs should implement stricter budget reviews and withhold approval for underfunded studies.
- Mitigation strategies include institutional support, sponsor agreements, and transparent communication with participants regarding funding risks.
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