What is the main role of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) in research involving human subjects?

The main role of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) in research involving human subjects is to review and approve research studies for ethical standards. The IRB is tasked with ensuring that the rights, welfare, and privacy of participants are protected. This includes assessing the potential risks and benefits of the research, ensuring that informed consent processes are adequate, and that the research adheres to ethical guidelines and regulations.

By conducting this review process, the IRB helps to maintain public trust in the research enterprise and protects vulnerable populations from potential harm. It serves as a critical gatekeeper, making sure that research proposals align with federally mandated ethical principles.

The other options focus on activities that are not the primary responsibilities of the IRB. Collecting data, overseeing financial aspects, and recruiting participants are generally the responsibilities of researchers and their teams, rather than the IRB, which focuses on ethical oversight.