Which of the following statements is true regarding the regulations that govern research?

Which of the following statements is true regarding the regulations that govern research?

1. Researchers can freely conduct studies without any oversight.
2. There are strict ethical guidelines and regulatory frameworks that researchers must follow.
3. Only medical research is subject to regulatory oversight.
4. Research regulations only apply to studies involving human subjects.

Answer: 2. There are strict ethical guidelines and regulatory frameworks that researchers must follow.

Research especially in areas involving humans and animals as well as in areas dealing with sensitive information is bound by certain legal provisions as well as ethical standards. Such frameworks are established to safeguard participant’s rights and their well-being as well as maintain the credibility of the scientific research.

For instance, in the United States, there is the Department of Health and Human Services and Food and Drug Administration to oversee human subjects research. Common Rule (45 CFR 46) outlines the guidelines for the review and approval by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), the consent process, and the protection of special populations. A medical researcher who needs to test a new drug treatment has to deal with many requirements set by the IRB, like the proper way of informing the subjects about the experiment and many protocols that have to be followed when the data is collected and the subjects’ safety is a concern.

Likewise, animal studies have guidelines in place similar to the AWA as well as being IACUC reviewed. If a biologist wants to know the impacts of toxins on mice, this biologist will have to adhere to the rules of animal welfare the need to reduce possible suffering of the animals, and why a particular animal is used in the research.

Often the research not involving human or animal subjects is also regulated in other cases RD regulation often comes into the picture. For example, qualitative research that deals with chemicals that have negative impacts on the environment has some guidelines to stick to concerning the environment and safety. It is crucial to notice that genetic research is comprehensively regulated concerning biosafety and the manipulation of genetic material.

In addition, the employees of most professional organizations and the bodies which fund researchers have their list of ethical requirements to be met. For instance, while developing its guidelines to protect research participants, the APA has a clear code of ethical standards that have to be followed by psychologists at their workplaces.

Such rules and recommendations for the proper conduct of research guarantee that the process is ethical, and safe, and does not infringe upon the rights and dignity of participants; at the same time, they do not lessen the scientific credibility of the work being done.