Which US agency provides guidance for ethical conduct of human subjects research in the United States?

• A. World Health Organization
• B. US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
• C. European Commission
• D. UNESCO

Answer: (B)

Guidance for ethical conduct of human subjects research in the United States comes from the Department of Health and Human Services, primarily through the Office for Human Research Protections. This office implements the Common Rule (45 CFR 46), sets expectations for informed consent, IRB review, and ongoing protections for research participants, and provides guidance to researchers and institutional review boards. These protections are rooted in the Belmont Report’s principles: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.

International organizations such as the World Health Organization, the European Commission, or UNESCO set guidelines for their regions or globally, but they are not US government agencies.