Which type of research is exempt from IRB due to being conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings with normal educational practices?

• A. Research conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings with normal educational practices
• B. Clinical trial of a new drug
• C. Observational study of hospital patients
• D. Survey of physicians about prescribing habits

Answer: (A)

Research conducted in established educational settings using normal educational practices is exempt from IRB review because it typically involves minimal risk and aligns with standard teaching activities. This category covers studies that evaluate instructional methods, curricula, or assessments as they would occur in usual education, without adding new procedures or risks. In this scenario, the research takes place in a familiar educational environment and follows ordinary educational practices, so it fits the exemption. The other options involve interventions or settings with potential risks to participants (a new drug trial), or involve patients and identifiable health information (observational study of hospital patients), or are professional surveys that may still raise ethical considerations depending on data handling; these do not meet the specific educational-setting exemption.