Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects

Abstract

Federal policy regarding the protection of human subjects in research has led to the creation of institutional review boards (IRBs) at every institution that receives federal funds for research. The function of the IRB is to review research that involves human subjects to ensure that this research is completed in an ethical manner. Social work research undertaken by researchers at federally funded institutions using human subjects and aiming to build knowledge that is generalizable is subject to IRB review, as is any research that is not specifically exempted from IRB oversight by the law. Social work practitioners and researchers who use research designs to evaluate practice effectiveness should comply with the ethical standards of the profession and may be subject to the standards specified in federal policy The relationships among social work research, the IRB, and the evaluation of social work practice are examined in light of the federal policy for protecting human subjects. Guidelines are given as to the types of research and evaluation that fall under the purview of the IRB.