Offering Results to Research Subjects: U.S. Institutional Review Board Policy*

Abstract

Background: This study aims to determine the nature of United States Institutional Review Board (IRB) policy in a broad spectrum of research settings regarding the return of results to study participants. Method: IRB policies or standard operating procedures of 207 Medical School, Industry and Non-medical School IRBs were examined on-line to determine if they incorporated specific reference to the return of results to participants at the conclusion of the research. Results: The majority of IRBs had no available policy regarding the return of research results to participants [56% (n = 116)]. A further third [36.3% (n = 75)] had policies that were defined as vague or that only indirectly mentioned the return of results. Medical School IRBs were more likely to have a policy than Industry or Non-medical University IRBs, respectively (odds ratio, 4.63; 95% confidence interval, 1.84 to 11.66 and odds ratio, 3.03; 95% confidence interval, 1.75 to 5.25). Few provided any guidance as to the process of return of results. Of the IRBs that had a research results policy, 54.9% (n = 50) specifically addressed genetic research. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate a marked lack of uniformity in IRB policy regarding the return of study results with over half providing no guidance.