5 Questions: Magnus on the role of research ethics consultations
In the past decade, a growing number of academic medical centers have begun offering research ethics consultation services, in which bioethics experts help scientists address the ethical and societal implications of their laboratory and clinical experiments. For instance, an investigator may want advice on the social and cultural ramifications of conducting genetic research among an indigenous population. But the role of these consults isnt always well-understood. Many researchers believe that Institutional Review Boards, which must approve any research involving human subjects, will address these kinds of ethical questions. However, there are some areas of research such as those involving animal subjects or broad social risk that fall outside of the regulatory purview of IRBs. The consultation services can help fill this gap, in addition to giving scientists a sounding board for exploring ethical questions early in their research-design process.