The International Council on Harmonisation (ICH) defines an institutional review board (IRB) as a group formally designated to protect the rights, safety and well-being of humans involved in a clinical trial by reviewing all aspects of the trial and approving its startup. IRBs can also be called independent ethics committees (IECs).
An IRB/IEC reviews the appropriateness of the clinical trial protocol as well as the risks and benefits to study participants. It ensures that clinical trial participants are exposed to minimal risk in relation to any benefits that might result from the research.
IRB/IEC members should be collectively qualified to review the scientific, medical and ethical aspects of the trial.
Per the FDA, an IRB/IEC should have:
At least five members.
Members with varying backgrounds.
At least one member who represents a non-scientific area (a lay member).
At least one member who is not affiliated with the institution or the trial site (an independent member).
Competent members who are able to review and evaluate the science, medical aspects and ethics of the proposed trial.