Ethics

Our research is reviewed and approved by a research ethics committee to ensure compliance with ethics guidelines

Research at IMS involves systematic analysis of genetic differences and gene expression in individuals and exploring the relationship between such variations and diseases. Collecting samples (for example, blood or skin cells) from patients and research participants is essential to our research work. This requires strict adherence to ethical considerations, such as providing sufficient explanation of research objectives and methods, obtaining informed consent, and proper handling of personal information.

RIKEN Yokohama Branch has an ethics committee of external experts that acts as a consulting body to ensure compliance with the government’s Ethical Guidelines for Medical and Biological Research Involving Human Subjects. This committee evaluates research projects, informed consent process, and research subjects’ protection to ensure that only approved samples and data are used for research at IMS.

In accordance with governmental guidelines, RIKEN releases information on research projects, and offers opt-out opportunities that allow research participants to withdraw their consent or forbid researchers to use their samples and/or data for research. For more detailed information, please refer to the website (Japanese only).