IRB Recruitment
May 2, 2002

Colleagues,
As everyone is aware, Provost Knapp has appointed a committee to develop a policy to guide Johns Hopkins investigators regarding the recruitment of employees and students into research studies. The chairs and co-chairs of the Hopkins IRBs have developed the following interim policy to guide faculty and IRB members, pending the report of the Provost's committee.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Michael Klag
Vice Dean for Clinical Investigation
IRB Policy on Recruitment of Employees and Students

Ethical concerns arise when Johns Hopkins staff or students serve as volunteers in Johns Hopkins clinical research. These concerns relate primarily to the risks of possible undue pressure and potential loss of confidentiality. On February 24, 2002 Provost Steven Knapp announced formation of a Johns Hopkins University committee to examine and advise on this issue. Until a University-wide policy is adopted, the Johns Hopkins Medicine IRBs' policy on recruitment of Employees and Students (defined as employees of the University or Health System, fellows, housestaff, or students) is as follows.

• Investigators must have strict protections in place to protect confidentiality, recognizing that the threats to confidentiality are greater when volunteers are members of the Hopkins community, especially when they are known to research staff.
• Recruitment of Employees and Students is allowed but they may not be solicited directly on a personal basis. Acceptable recruitment methods are 1) posting of IRB-approved flyers/ads and, 2) sending written notices/invitations to those who have previously agreed to receive such solicitations. Solicitations should not be in person or by telephone.
• Investigators may not recruit or enroll Employees or Students who report directly to them, except when the research is designated by the IRB as minimal risk. Individual exceptions for studies where there may be therapeutic benefit but greater than minimal risk will be considered by the IRB; IRB chairs or their designees may decide such individual cases.

This policy is a guideline. Requests to recruit Employees or Students will be considered by the IRBs on a case-by-case basis.