Welcome to the University of Vermont website for participants in research studies.

The University of Vermont (UVM) and Fletcher Allen Health Care (FAHC) missions include teaching, research and public service. To carry out the research mission, UVM and FAHC conduct many research studies, some of which involve people. This research varies from studies of cutting edge medical treatment for patients with incurable diseases (clinical trials) to psychological surveys about participants’ behaviors.

In order to conduct human research, both UVM and FAHC have had to negotiate a contract with the federal government. This contract details the procedures required to protect the rights and welfare of the participants in research. One of these requirements is the creation of “institutional review boards”. These boards approve all participant research before it begins and provide oversight during each project.

The UVM/FAHC Institutional Review Boards (IRB) are committees of local researchers and lay people that volunteer to review participant research projects performed at our institutions. The purpose of the review is to ensure that the rights and welfare of the people who are willing to participate are adequately protected.

We hope that the information we have provided below will help people who are contemplating participation in a research study to make an informed decision.