Though the academic community has mostly people with integrity on
their IRBs it is still easy to thwart the intent of the toothless laws
(45 CFR 46) on using human subjects for medical research. Government
and military researchers still use involuntary human subjects and
without the need for any IRB. By using private individuals
unaffiliated with the academic institution, there is no need for IRB
approval. The problem arises when the research is conducted on
property of an institution which receives US taxpayer funds. That
jeopardizes all of the research grants received by the institution.
Harvard sends one letter to the NIH called an "Assurance Letter" which
promises to obey all the laws regarding using human subjects. That one
letter covers all of the hundreds of millions that Harvard receives
each year. One violation would end all the money. So it is essential
to prevent any illegal research on Harvard property from being
investigated by the Hear No Evil, See No Evil and Speak No Evil human
protection agency at the NIH. So far so good. Harvard continues to get
taxpayer money no matter what goes on.
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2012/10/11/kiel-study-fractures-journal/
Journal Expresses Concern About Professor's Criticized Study
By DEV A. PATEL, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Published: Thursday, October 11, 2012
Harvard Crimson
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