Animal & Human Research Ethics

Ethical standards and compliance requirements for studies involving living subjects.

Mandatory Compliance: All research involving human subjects or non-human vertebrate animals must comply with institutional, local, national, and international ethical research standards.

Human Subjects Research

Any study involving human participants—including surveys, psychological experiments, behavioral observations, or physiological measurements—must adhere to strict ethical protections:

Key Ethical Requirements for Human Research

Informed Consent: Signed informed consent must be obtained from all participants prior to study commencement. For participants under 18 years of age, parental or legal guardian consent is mandatory alongside participant assent.
Ethics Review / Oversight: Approval or oversight by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), school science ethics committee, or qualified adult research mentor is required.
Anonymity & Confidentiality: No personally identifiable information (PII) such as full names, addresses, or photos (without explicit written release) may appear in the manuscript or supplementary data.
Minimal Risk: Studies must not expose participants to physical harm, psychological distress, or illegal activity.

Vertebrate Animal Research

Studies involving non-human vertebrate animals (e.g., mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish) must follow humane principles:

The 3 Rs Principle: Research designs must prioritize Replacement (using non-animal models where possible), Reduction (minimizing animal numbers needed for statistical validity), and Refinement (eliminating pain and distress).
Institutional Review (IACUC): Studies must be reviewed by an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or equivalent animal welfare body.
Prohibited Procedures: Student-led experiments involving animal surgery, administration of toxic substances, or lethal endpoints are prohibited unless conducted in an accredited university or professional laboratory setting under direct expert supervision.

Mandatory Manuscript Ethics Statement

Every submitted manuscript involving human subjects or vertebrate animals MUST include an explicit Ethical Statement within the Materials and Methods section detailing:

"Ethical Approval & Consent: This study was approved by [Name of IRB/Ethics Committee/School Committee/Mentor Oversight] under protocol #[Number if applicable]. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants (and parents/guardians for minor participants)."