Why is an ethical review important for research?
Caleb Butler
Updated on April 04, 2026
The aim of ethical review is to protect participants. However, ethical review also helps to protect the researcher. By obtaining ethical approval you are demonstrating that you have adhered to the accepted ethical standards of a genuine research study which could increase recruitment potential.
What type of research requires ethics review?
Research that does require ethics review Research involving living human participants. Research involving human remains, cadavers, tissues, biological fluids, embryos or foetuses. Research about a living individual in the public arena if s/he is to be interviewed and/or private papers accessed.
How do you use ethical principles in research?
In practice, these ethical principles mean that as a researcher, you need to: (a) obtain informed consent from potential research participants; (b) minimise the risk of harm to participants; (c) protect their anonymity and confidentiality; (d) avoid using deceptive practices; and (e) give participants the right to …
What are ethics in research?
Research ethics govern the standards of conduct for scientific researchers. It is important to adhere to ethical principles in order to protect the dignity, rights and welfare of research participants. Discussion of the ethical principles of beneficence, justice and autonomy are central to ethical review.
Do I need an ethics review?
All graduate and undergraduate thesis projects involving human participants are considered research and do require ethics review.
What is the purpose of REB?
A research ethics board (REB) is an independent committee made up of medical and non-medical members, such as physicians, statisticians, and community advocates. It ensures that a clinical trial is ethical and that the rights of study participants are protected.
What is Research Ethics Committee?
Ethics committee. An ethics committee is a body responsible for ensuring that medical experimentation and human research are carried out in an ethical manner in accordance with national and international law.
What does the Board of ethical review do?
The Board of Ethical Review is a panel of engineering ethics experts that has served as the profession’s guide through ethical dilemmas. The board consists of seven licensed members who are appointed by the NSPE president.
What is Ethics Review Committee?
In the United States, an ethics committee is usually known as an institutional review board and is dedicated to overseeing the rights and well-being of research subjects participating in scientific studies in the US.