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Guidance for Human Subjects Research in the National Exposure Research Laboratory
Citation:
FORTMANN, R. C. Guidance for Human Subjects Research in the National Exposure Research Laboratory. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-10/175 (NTIS PB2011-104592), 2010.
Impact/Purpose:
The National Exposure Research Laboratory′s (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA′s mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD′s research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA′s strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.
Description:
This document provides guidance to investigators and managers associated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD)’s National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) on the ethical conduct, regulatory review, and approval of all human research activities. The focus of this document is twofold: first, on the methods for ensuring the safety and rights of human research subjects, and, second, on how to conduct such research in a manner consistent with EPA and NERL policy. Principal investigators (PIs) are responsible for obtaining approval for human subjects research. If a PI does not have significant experience in the approval process for human subjects research, he or she should rely on an experienced colleague or co-investigator (Co-I) or contact the Office of the Director of the Human Research Protocol Office (HRPO) located at the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory Human Studies Facility in Chapel Hill, NC. The mission of the HRPO is to assist investigators in all aspects of the ethical and regulatory review of human subjects research. PIs with questions about the process are encouraged to contact the office early in protocol development. The phone number of the HRPO is (919)966-621