Which activity is a key function of IRB oversight?

• A. Evaluating risk vs. benefit of proposed research
• B. Providing clinical care
• C. Marketing the study
• D. Controlling publication timelines

Answer: (A)

IRB oversight is fundamentally about weighing the risks to research participants against the potential benefits to justify proceeding with a study and to ensure safeguards are in place to minimize those risks. This evaluation of risk versus benefit is what guides ethical approval, informed consent quality, and the overall protection of subjects throughout the research process. Providing clinical care is the clinician’s responsibility, not the IRB. Marketing the study involves promotion and recruitment activities, which are not the IRB’s function. Controlling publication timelines relates to disseminating results, a task handled by investigators and sponsors, not the IRB.