May 2005

 It is the policy of the Organization that faculty who wish to become involved as experimental participants in their own research projects should consider themselves to be “human participants.” The JHM IRB is authorized to review and approve faculty participation.  Such review must occur before research procedures begin in an IRB approved study.  There are two reasons for the required IRB review of proposed self-experimentation:

1. To protect faculty and staff from taking unwarranted risks in the excitement of generating new knowledge.  Under these circumstances investigators are enthused about the prospect of new knowledge and concern for any associated risk may be minimized or escape attention.
   
2.  To protect the process of human investigation in an era when the process has articulate critics. 

The Organization recognizes that the requirement for IRB review may be viewed as a limitation of personal freedom, but believes that it is the price one must pay to protect both individuals and clinical investigation.