The primary responsibility of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) is to ensure that the research study- (select all that apply)

A. Must be conducted by qualified scientist: The Nuremberg Code emphasizes that experiments should be carried out only by scientifically qualified individuals. Proper expertise ensures the study is designed and conducted competently, minimizing risks to participants.

B. Must avoid unnecessary physical and mental suffering: Experiments should prevent all unnecessary harm. Only risks essential to achieving scientific objectives may be tolerated, and investigators are obligated to protect participants from avoidable physical or psychological distress.

C. Must have the informed consent of the subject or their legal representative: Voluntary, informed consent is a cornerstone of the Nuremberg Code. Participants must be fully aware of the purpose, procedures, risks, and potential benefits of the research, and must agree to participate without coercion.

D. Is only justified if it benefits only researcher and stakeholders: The Nuremberg Code explicitly rejects this idea. Research is ethically justified only if it aims to benefit society or scientific knowledge, not merely the investigator or other vested interests.

E. Must be based on animal testing and knowledge of the disease being studied: Experiments should be preceded by prior knowledge, including appropriate animal studies, to ensure anticipated results are scientifically valid and to minimize human risk.

F. Must not be conducted if they are likely to cause death or disabling injury: Research that has a high likelihood of causing death or serious injury is strictly prohibited unless the study addresses life-saving interventions under highly controlled circumstances, reflecting the principle of minimizing harm.

A. Mix (both qualitative & quantitative): Mixed-methods research incorporates both numerical data and descriptive, narrative data to explore phenomena. In this study, no qualitative data such as interviews, perceptions, or experiences were collected; only numerical and categorical epidemiological data were analyzed.

B. None of the above: The study clearly involves systematic data collection and statistical analysis of confirmed COVID-19 cases, which aligns with established research methodologies, so “none of the above” is not appropriate.

C. Qualitative: Qualitative research focuses on non-numerical data, exploring meanings, experiences, and perspectives. This study did not collect such data; it analyzed case counts, demographics, and outcomes using descriptive statistics.

D. Quantitative: The study is quantitative because it relies on numerical surveillance data, laboratory-confirmed cases, and statistical analysis. Descriptive and univariate statistics were used to summarize epidemiological characteristics, which aligns with a quantitative research design focused on measurable outcomes.