FAQ 2

How do I know if a study is safe to participate in?

All research studies using human participants at Penn State are reviewed and must be approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB is comprised of university faculty and staff and community members who represent a variety of professions. These include medical, academic, scientific and spiritual backgrounds and training. The members of this board examine research study proposals very carefully and evaluate the study for safety and risk to participants.

The IRB is facilitated in its work by the Office for Research Protections (ORP), which operates under federal guidelines and regulations. These guidelines and regulations provide a structure for the IRB to evaluate proposed research studies and to make recommendations for changes, if needed.

All proposed studies involving humans (biomedical and social sciences) are assessed and monitored by the ORP and IRB. To learn more about the ORP, IRB, and the approval process, please see Penn State's ORP website.

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