What does IRB stand for in research ethics?

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IRB stands for Institutional Review Board. This is the committee at a specific institution—like a hospital, university, or research center—that reviews studies involving humans to protect their rights and welfare. The term “institutional” signals that the board’s authority comes from and acts on behalf of that organization, ensuring all research under its umbrella meets ethical and regulatory standards. The board evaluates the study design for risk vs. benefit, confirms that informed consent is appropriate and voluntary, reviews how participant privacy and data will be protected, and monitors ongoing research for any new ethical concerns. Members come from diverse backgrounds to provide scientific, ethical, and community perspectives, which helps catch issues a single viewpoint might miss. This structure aligns with regulatory requirements like the Common Rule and FDA protections for human subjects. The other phrases don’t reflect the standard expansion of the acronym in research ethics—international would imply a global scope, internal isn’t the correct common term, and independent isn’t the formal name for the overseeing body.