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Our Research Ethics Consultation Service provides ethics consultation on research design and ongoing research projects.  We help with background research and policy advice on best practices in research ethics.  We assist with research ethics issues that may fall outside the scope of IRB and IACUC oversight.

Consultation requests, communication, and meetings are kept confidential.

Make a request or inquiry

 

Research ethics consultations can cover a wide range of topics including, but not limited to:

  • Research with patients in the clinical setting
  • Return of unanticipated research results and/or results with questionable therapeutic value
  • Research with vulnerable populations such as prisoners, children, or the socioeconomically disenfranchised
  • Research with the recently deceased
  • Research with stored biological specimens
  • Conflict of interest and commercialization
  • Research with animals such as:
    • Balancing harms and potential benefits
    • Promoting alternatives
    • Impact on researchers and technicians
    • Human-animal bonding and care-taking responsibilities

Research ethics consultations are offered as a free service to UNC researchers and affiliates.

Research Ethics Consultation Director

Arlene M. Davis, RN, JD
arlene_davis@med.unc.edu

Research Ethics Consultation Administrator

Anissa Berger, MA
anissa_berger@med.unc.edu

Research Ethics Consultation Team Members

Jean Cadigan, PhD
cadigan@ad.unc.edu

Jill Fisher, PhD
jill.fisher@.unc.edu

Eric T. Juengst, PhD
ejuengst@med.unc.edu

Stuart Rennie, PhD
stuart_rennie@med.unc.edu

Rebecca L. Walker, PhD
rlwalker@med.unc.edu

Louise Winstanly, LLB, MS
winstanl@email.unc.edu