Investigators of nonexempt human subjects research conducted without prior institutional review board (IRB) approval often have difficulties in publishing data obtained from such research. Retrospective review and approval of such research has been suggested as a potential pathway for an IRB to help these investigators to publish those data. However, under the Common Rule, an IRB has no authority to retrospectively review and approve human subjects research. Prevention remains the best strategy to ensure that no nonexempt human subjects research is initiated prior to IRB approval.
CooperJ. A.McNairL. (2019). Practical ethicist: Retrospective review of research. Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, 15(3), 227–228.
2.
MenikoffJ.KaneshiroJ.PritchardI. (2017). The common rule, updated. The New England Journal of Medicine, 376, 613–615.
3.
Rowan-LeggA.WeijerC.GaoJ.FernandezC. (2009). A comparison of journal instructions regarding institutional review board approval and conflict-of-interest disclosure between 1995 and 2005. Journal of Medical Ethics, 35(1), 74–78.
