Harvard IRB (Institutional Review Board) Approval

Date of last approval: June 20, 2011

The Harvard Faculty of Medicine established the Committee on Human Studies (also referred to as the CHS or IRB) to review research projects and activities that involve human participants, and which oversees the implementation of all policies and procedures for human studies research.

The mission of the CHS is to insure that all participants are protected from any unnecessary risk while involved in a research project, that they make an informed decision to participate, and whenever possible, that there is a benefit to the participant or to society from the research. The goal of CHS is to assist Investigators in developing appropriate research protocols in accordance with federal, state, and University policies, and within accepted ethical guidelines.

(Taken from the Harvard Medical School/ Harvard School of Dental Medicine Committee on Human Studies website. For more information, please visit http://www.hms.harvard.edu/orsp/human/human.html)