Discussion

Federal law requires universities and research institutions to create Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) to review all human subject research. The law and Harvard policies also require that all researchers that work with human subjects obtain approval from an IRB before they start the research. The IRBs are responsible reviewing the research proposals to ensure that the research proposal meets Harvard's Policies and Procedures Governing the Use of Human Subjects in Research and for ensuring that any data collected in such research is properly protected.

Harvard has three IRBs. One covers research at the School of Public Health, another covers research at the Medical and Dental Schools and the third covers research at the rest of the University.

Surveys of Harvard persons or analysis of information already held by Harvard may or may not be covered under the federal IRB rules. Surveys of non-Harvard persons will often be covered. Anyone wanting to conduct such surveys or to analyze student or other records should check with an IRB to see if their proposed work would be considered human subject research.