Final answer:
Investigative protocols in research involving human participants must be approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), while those concerning animal subjects need approval from an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). These bodies ensure compliance with ethical and legal standards for research, including obtaining informed consent, minimizing risks, and protecting participant anonymity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Investigative protocols within an organization, especially when they pertain to research with human or animal subjects, should be approved by institutional oversight committees. For research involving human subjects, the approval must come from the Institutional Review Board (IRB), which is a committee established within a university or research institution tasked with the review and approval of research plans. Research involving animal subjects requires an approval from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), which ensures that the NIH guidelines are followed.
These oversight committees are responsible for minimizing risks to participants and ensuring that all aspects of the research are ethical and legal, including obtaining informed consent. To protect research subjects, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides regulations and oversight, while the IRB provides additional protections, such as requiring written consent and safeguarding participants' anonymity.