The Structure and Function of Research. Ethics Committees in Africa: A Case Study

According to international guidelines [1,2] and several nations' laws [3-5], research with humans requires independent ethics committee review. In the United Slates, committees are called institutional review boards (IRBs) [6]; elsewhere they generally are called research ethics committees (RECs). Committees are designed to: provide third party review, thereby minimizing conflicts of interest; protect the welfare of research participants through attention to risks, benefits, and informed consent; and avoid exploitation of vulnerable individuals and populations.