Institutional Review Board

The IRB serves all LA County Department of Public Health facilities, staff, patients, clients, and databases, even if other agencies or individuals have primary responsibility. The IRB also serves projects from Department of Health Services (DHS) Health Services Administration and the Ambulatory Care Network. Some DHS-related projects must be reviewed by IRBs at the various County medical centers. Finally, the IRB serves several community partner organizations via memoranda of agreement. Check with the IRB about coverage for a particular proposed project if you are in doubt.

Please refer to the following DPH policy regarding research and related activities involving human subjects:

 

• Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Institutional Review Board (IRB) Policy Regarding IRB Review of Research and Related Activities Involving Human Subjects

Please refer to the following DPH policy regarding health equity, diversity and inclusion in research and related activities reviewed by the DPH IRB:

• Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Institutional Review Board (IRB) Policy Regarding Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research or Related Activities Reviewed by the IRB
  

The Health Equity policy above was informed by a health equity survey and key informant interviews which were carried out as part of the IRB's Health Equity Initiative (HEI). Please refer to our Health Equity Initiative page for more information about the HEI and the efforts to develop this policy. 

The Department of Health and Human Services regulations for the protection of human subjects in research (45 CFR 46) include five subparts. Subpart A, commonly referred to as "the Common Rule", provides a robust set of protections for research subjects; subparts B, C, and D provide additional protections for certain populations in research; and subpart E provides requirements for IRB registration.

Please click the following link HHS.gov to view the federal regulations for the protection of human subjects in research.

The Common Rule, subpart A, was revised in 2018. In general, research initiated before January 21, 2019, continues to comply with the pre-2018 Common Rule unless the institution chose to transition it to the revised Common Rule.

The Belmont Report

The Belmont Report identifies the basic ethical principles that should underlie the conduct of biomedical and behavioral research involving human subjects, and it forms the foundation for the federal human subjects regulations known as the "Common Rule" (45 CFR 46). The Belmont Report was written by the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, and is a direct result of the National Research Act of 1974. Click on the photo above to view a copy of the Belmont Report.

Click on the link below to view a roster of the DPH IRB committee members.

IRB committee roster