American Red Cross Institutional Review Board

The Red Cross follows the ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence and justice as set forth in the Belmont Report any time it conducts human subjects research, including all research using donor’s blood or information.  In addition, Red Cross complies with the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, known as the Common Rule (45 CFR 46) and with regulations of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 21 CFR 50 and 56 for the protection of human subjects.  

Red Cross policy requires all human subject research to be reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) before it is started. The Red Cross IRB carefully reviews research considering donor’s rights, welfare, and confidentiality, and compliance with the law. The Red Cross Institutional Review Board (IRB) is constituted in accordance with the law (21 CFR 56.107 and 45 CFR 46.107) and includes physician scientists, other scientists, a non-scientist community member, a bioethicist, affiliated and un-affiliated members, male and female genders and minority representation.

Please email the IRB Administrator at Nicole.Dungee@redcross.org with any questions or concerns about Red Cross policies for the protection of human subjects.