Participant Outreach

What is an Independent or Institutional Review Board (IRB)?

IRBs, were at one time, only found at universities and hospitals.  In the 1970s and up to present day, doctors and their teams are better able to explore research and medical questions through funding by companies and the US government.  IRBs that are not affiliated with these academic medical centers were founded to review research studies from researchers who were community based or funded by foundations or others.

What do IRBs do?

An IRB is a group of people with different experiences and training who review and oversee research to ensure that research volunteers are protected according to ethical standards and relevant regulations and standards.

North Star Review Board

North Star Review Board is an IRB and a group of people who are interested in Ethics relating to research. 

We are dedicated to safeguarding human research participants. We cannot eliminate risk, but we can ensure that the risks individuals are asked to assume are necessary to answer the scientific question and are justified by the potential benefits of the answer. We should not restrict choice, but we should make sure individuals are given information in  a form and context that allows them to make voluntary and informed decisions for themselves.

Apart from determining if a proposed research study meets regulatory and other professional standards,  we also consider the research from an ethical perspective.

This means that we consider if the research and its potential impact on participants is morally good and bad, and morally right and wrong.  This discussion helps us recommend information that you as a participant should consider before agreeing to be a part of a research study. Thank you for considering participation in a research study.  You are contributing to knowledge and the possibilities that research holds for present and future generations.

Participant Outreach – Videos on topics relating to volunteering for a research study

The Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) works to protect the rights, welfare, and wellbeing of volunteers who participate in research supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). One way to further this mission is to provide the public with basic information about research and research participation, so potential volunteers can make informed decisions about participating in research. Check out the links below to watch informational videos, view a list of questions to ask researchers, and find additional resources related to research participation.