Participant Information
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) has the responsibility for ensuring that the rights of all human participants in research at the Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Hershey Medical Center are protected. The IRB is also responsible for making sure that the research is performed in accordance with regulations and institutional policies, and Guiding Ethical Principles. These activities are coordinated through the Human Subjects Protection Office (HSPO). The HSPO has developed this page to provide potential participants with sources for information about participation in a research study.
The HSPO has a staff available to give presentations to community groups upon request. Please contact the HSPO at 717-531-5687 to schedule a presentation.
There are over 1,000 research studies (also called clinical trials or clinical studies) in progress at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at any given time. See the following links for information about volunteering for research and for lists of current research studies at Penn State Hershey.
About Volunteering:
- Questions to Ask About Research Participation
-Becoming a Research Volunteer: It's Your Decision - Print version
-Ser Voluntario En Estudios Clínicos: Es Su Decisión - Imprima la versión
- Volunteering at Penn State Hershey
What if you have Questions or Concerns:
- Questions, Complaints and Concerns for the Human Subjects Protection Office
Resource links:
- GetResearchSmart.org
- Participating in Clinical Trials, FDA
- Children and Clinical Studies, National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute
- ClinicalTrials.gov Web Site
- NIH's Clinical Trials Web Site
- NCI's Cancer Trials Web Site
Federal Regulations for Protection of Research Subjects:
- Office of Human Research Protections
- Food & Drug Administration
- (21 CFR 50) Protection of Human Subjects
- (21 CFR 56) Institutional Review Boards