The mandate of the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board (HiREB) is to safeguard the rights, safety, and well-being of all research participants.

All research projects involving McMaster University, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and Hamilton Health Sciences physicians, staff (including staff acting as investigators outside the Institutions), students (i.e., research within the institution or using institutional resources), volunteers, visitors, or patients, must obtain ethical approval from the HiREB before research can begin.

The HiREB is responsible, on behalf of the institutions, for ensuring that all research involving human subjects under the auspices of its institutions meet current ethical standards. The HiREB reviews and approves research projects that meet acceptable ethical and scientific standards and for which adequate facilities and resources are available. The HIREB also provides advice on the ethical, scientific and technical aspects of planning research projects.