¿What is the role of the Committee?

The Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) is part of the organizational structure of the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP), providing independent, timely and competent assessments and ethical - methodological design of research studies, also performing project evaluations from independent researchers, research institutes, cooperation agencies, academics and other entities from the Member Countries of INCAP who request it. The Committee works without political, institutional, professional, or commercial influence.

The IEC has the registry from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and registration from Institution or Organization (IORG) that is part of the National Institute of Health (NIH) as instances Reviewing protocols in the field of bioethics and allows reviewing protocols produced or presented by persons or entities in the United States.

It also has a warranty registration from Federal Wide Assurance (FWA) which is the only registration currently accepted and approved by the Office for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research (OHRP) of the United States. Through FWA, the institution agrees to comply with the protection requirements of the regulations of Health and Human Services (HHS) for Human Subjects.