STAT+: Federal advisory panel on ethical, legal issues in human health research disbanded
A committee of experts that advises HHS on emerging ethical and legal issues in human health research has been disbanded, according to an email obtained by STAT.
A committee of experts that advises the Department of Health and Human Services on emerging ethical and legal issues in human health research has been disbanded, according to an email obtained by STAT.
The Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Human Research Protections is an 11-member panel of volunteers with expertise in bioethics and regulatory affairs that typically meets three times a year to provide recommendations to HHS’ Office for Human Research Protections.
OHRP has oversight of more than 13,000 institutions in the U.S. and internationally that conduct human subjects research supported by HHS. In addition to enforcing existing regulations, OHRP is supposed to provide guidance and education for institutional review boards (IRBs) in the protection of the rights and well-being of human subjects involved in research. Both activities have been hampered by decades of underfunding.
