Edward Gabriele: Trust in the Participant-Researcher Relationship

More than Meets the IRB: A joint initiative of Washington University in St. Louis and PRIM&R

The issues surrounding human subject protections and the participant-researcher relationship do not lie in technical non-compliance. The problem lies with the human ability to be trusted and to be counted as trustworthy. The words ‘trust’ and ’trustworthiness’ are not found in guidance provided by federal agencies. These words are much more associated with human relationships and friendship.