April 2013

The National Research Council held a two-day public workshop, “Proposed Revisions to the Common Rule in Relation to the Behavioral and Social Sciences,” on March 21–22.

The workshop included active researchers and experts on human research protection on issues such as minimal risk standards; informed consent; information risk, data sharing, and data security; and multidisciplinary and multisite studies.

The workshop will lead to a summary report expected later this spring. Highlights readers interested in keeping up on this issue can access the webcast and presentation slides on the NRC website.  

The workshop is the second activity held by the NRC Committee on Revisions to the Common Rule for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research in the Behavioral and Social Sciences.  On January 14–15, there was a meeting to facilitate information gathering and workshop planning. AERA Executive Director Felice Levine serves on this NRC committee.