Evaluating the Science and Ethics of Research on Humans: A Guide for IRB Members.

• Position: Brief article - Book review

Mazur, Dennis J. Evaluating the Science and Ethics of Research on Humans: A Guide for IRB Members. Baltimore, M.D.: The John Hopkins University Press, 2007; www.press.jhu.edu.

This is a reference guide for new and veteran members of IRBs that explains the basic concepts behind the work of institutional review boards and will help them better understand the issues involved and the tasks they will be required to perform. The most important purpose of an institutional review board is to protect the human participants in research. For three major research areas--drugs, medical devices, and genetic information--the author shares the methods he has found useful in protecting human participants: the systematic review of scientific protocols and informed consent forms and thorough adherence to applicable federal regulations. The author explains how proposed research projects are to be reviewed from both scientific...