For your consideration: Internet research issues
IRB coordinator offers this guidance
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Although your IRB may have had few research submissions involving Internet research so far, experts say the trend will increase in coming years. That’s why IRBs need to be prepared to handle the many complicated technological and privacy issues likely to develop. Mary Barnhart, CIM, an IRB coordinator for the Oakwood Healthcare System in Dearborn, MI, suggests IRBs ask these questions when reviewing research that will involve use of the Internet and web chat rooms or message boards:
• Intrusiveness: Can the research be considered intrusive? Will the data be passively analyzed or will the researcher be actively involved in the community by participating in the communications?
• Perceived privacy: What is the level of perceived privacy of the community? Is it a closed society, and what are group norms?
• Vulnerability: How vulnerable is the community taking into consideration such things as mailing lists or membership in the community? For example, AIDS patients would be considered extremely vulnerable.
• Potential harm: What potential harm would occur should the data be published to the individual members and to the community as a whole?
• Confidentiality: Are the respondents anonymous? If not, how can anonymity of subjects be protected?
• Intellectual property rights: In cases where subjects wish to go public, is a posting without attribution appropriate?
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