The Research Ethics Board (REB) oversees all research involving human participants conducted under the auspices of MGH to ensure that research meets the highest scientific and ethical standards.
Overarching Principles of Ethical Review
Ethics are principles of right conduct guiding "what ought to be done". In the context of the Tri-Council Policy Statement 2: Guidelines on Research Involving Humans, December 2018, the Committee subscribes to the following three core principles (TCPS 2, Article 1.1):
- Respect for Persons
- Concern for Welfare
- Justice
These include the following ethical principles that are commonly held and valued by diverse research disciplines:
- Respect for autonomy and to protect those with developing, impaired or diminished autonomy
- Respect for free, informed, and ongoing consent
- Balancing harms and benefits
- Respect for privacy and confidentiality
- Respect for vulnerable persons
- An obligation to treat people fairly and equitably
The role of the Research Ethics Board is the protection of human participants volunteering to participate in research.