Human Research Protections during Emergencies: An Integrative Review

The increasing frequency and severity of various types of societal and humanitarian emergencies-e.g., infectious disease outbreaks and natural disasters-creates unique challenges for conducting human subjects research in these settings. These challenges include regulatory review complexities, maintaining research rigor while increasing efficiency, protecting vulnerable populations, and managing risks. Despite these obstacles, research is critical for improving responses to societal and humanitarian emergencies and protecting public health. Our integrative review examines the use of emergency or rapid response review boards, including ethics reviews and institutional review boards (IRBs), in emergency contexts. An integrative literature search addressed rapid emergency human subjects research reviews across disasters, infectious disease emergencies, humanitarian crises, and public health emergencies. Articles were selected based on pre-defined criteria, including empirical research, operational action, and theoretical discussion. Data were abstracted and synthesized to identify common themes, gaps, and recommendations. Findings underscore the need for robust IRB support before and during emergencies. Recommendations include pre-approved protocols, enhanced training, and increased funding and resources for emergency IRB support. Future research should systematically implement these concepts and assess their effectiveness across diverse emergency contexts.