Proposed changes to IRB Common Rule

[Chad NILEP]

The US Department of Health and Human Services has announced an Advanced
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the Common Rule, which regulates
human research protections for work supported by US government agencies.

Comments are being accepted from individuals and groups until 26 September.

I have posted links to the HHS ANPRM, a guide from Institutional Review
Blog, and discussion at the LSA Ethics Discussion Blog on the SLA blog.
http://linguisticanthropology.org/blog/2011/08/31/proposed-changes-to-human-research-protection-common-rule/

One issue in particular troubles me right now. HHS is considering basing
data security rules on HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act. As I understand it HIPAA essentially says that
information regarding physical or mental condition, the provision of care,
and payment history must be protected. How in the world would that apply
to non-medical research, I wonder?
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/summary/index.html

-- 
Chad NILEP
Institute of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Nagoya University
Email: nilep at ilas.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Tel/Fax: (+81) 052-747-6705