“Protecting” or “Policing”: Academic Researchers’ View of IRBs in an Arab Context

Makhoul, Jihad; El-Alti, Leila; Qutteina, Yara; Nasrallah, Catherine; Sakr, Carol; Nakkash, Rima; Alali, Khalid

Abstract

A recent surge of research universities and human subjects research funding in the Arab world raises concerns about applied research ethics and oversight. In-depth interviews conducted with 52 researchers in Lebanon and Qatar about their research conduct and the problems they face while conducting it indicate that although researchers admit to the added value of institutional review board (IRB) functions, the researchers have several complaints, such as rigid and contextually insensitive requirements, delays, and inadequate resources at IRBs, and a lack of outreach and effective communication with researchers. The study discusses these challenges pointing to the need for socioculturally adaptive regulations and forms and strengthening outreach and communication between IRBs and their users to improve ethical practices. Implications for future research are also presented.

Citation

Makhoul, J., El-Alti, L., Qutteina, Y., Nasrallah, C., Sakr, C., Nakkash, R., & Alali, K. (2014). “Protecting” or “Policing”: Academic Researchers’ View of IRBs in an Arab Context. Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, 9(5), 25-35. https://doi.org/10.1177/1556264614553170

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Oct 7, 2014
• Publication Date: 2014-12
• Deposit Date: Nov 7, 2022
• Journal: Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics
• Print ISSN: 1556-2646
• Electronic ISSN: 1556-2654
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 9
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 25-35
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1556264614553170
• Keywords: IRB, challenges, research ethics, researchers’ experience, Arab world, qualitative methods, humans subjects research
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2948484