Final answer:
Internal Review Boards (IRBs) are set up to review ethics and confidentiality in research involving human participants, seeking to protect their rights and ensure the integrity of the research process.
Step-by-step explanation:
Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) are committees that have a critical role in overseeing the ethical aspects and confidentiality concerns of research involving human participants. They are set up to review both the ethics and confidentiality of research proposals.
Their objective is to protect the rights and welfare of research participants. When a proposal is submitted to an IRB, the board examines the potential risks and benefits of the study, ensuring that risks are minimized and informed consent is obtained from participants. The IRB is also responsible for the ongoing monitoring of the approved research to ensure compliance with the ethical standards.
IRBs are composed of a diverse group of individuals, which may include scientists, legal experts, medical professionals, and community members, to ensure that research proposals are examined from multiple perspectives. Their review process is meant to prevent unethical practices in research and to uphold the principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice as laid out in the Nuremberg Code and federal regulations.