The All of Us Research Program requires authorized users of the All of Us data to conduct research that follows and conforms to the ethical principles upheld by the program. This means that, as a user, you must:
- Know and follow all laws and regulations regarding research involving human data and data privacy that are applicable in the area where you are conducting research, including all applicable federal, state, and local laws.
- Know and follow the Common Rule principles as defined by The Belmont Report:
- Respect for persons. Participants must be treated as individuals with the ability to consider and make choices about their participation consistent with their own interests and goals. Vulnerable populations are entitled to additional protections from human subject research. This includes children, prisoners, and women who are pregnant.
- Beneficence. Researchers working with human participants must ensure participants’ well-being. Research should not intentionally harm participants, should maximize the possible benefits, and should minimize any potential harm.
- Justice. This principle requires that the benefits and harms resulting from research be distributed fairly amongst people by using ethical inclusion and exclusion criteria. Researchers must ensure that people benefit from their research according to need and not affordability.
- Understand that non-human subject research can still cause psychological, social, and economic harm even if the risk for physical harm is low.
- Understand the effects your research results can have on communities and society.
Conducting ethically sound research thus affirms commitment to the core values of the All of Us Research Program by respecting the dignity and choices of participants as partners and actively considering the vulnerabilities and disadvantages of varied individuals and communities.
Full policy is available here:
