The main purpose of the Homewood Institutional Review Board (HIRB) is to protect the rights and welfare of human research participants. One way HIRB protects participants is to ensure that their participation is voluntary. This page contains resources to inform potential volunteers about participating in a research study.

If you have questions, concerns, or complaints about your involvement in a research study, please contact Laura Evans, Director, Homewood IRB, at 410-516-4820 or levans22@jhu.edu.

Resources

The Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) is a Federal division that also works to protect the rights, welfare, and wellbeing of volunteers who participate in research supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Informed Consent

For most studies, people must read and sign an informed consent form if they wish to participate. To help you understand informed consent forms please read A Guide to Understanding Informed Consent. It is written for participants considering enrollment in a clinical trial, a type of medical study, but much of it also applies to other types of research.

Informational Brochures

Below are detailed booklets that describe what people should know before they decide to participate in a research study. They are written for participants considering enrolling in a clinical trial, a type of medical study, but much of it also applies to other types of research. They may include a checklist of questions for participants to consider before enrolling.