Under what conditions is IRB approval required for field operations?

• A. Always not required
• B. When field activities involve data collection or research with human subjects
• C. Only for medical supply distribution
• D. Only for animal subjects

Answer: (B)

IRB approval is required whenever field operations involve research with human subjects or data collection about people. The IRB protects participants’ safety, rights, and privacy, and ensures informed consent and ethical conduct in studies. If field work includes interviews, surveys, observations, or any testing of an intervention with people, you should obtain IRB approval before starting. If you’re only delivering services or supplies and not collecting data about individuals, IRB review isn’t needed for those operational activities. For work with animals, oversight comes from a different committee (IACUC), not the IRB.