The Independent Ethics Committee serves the same fundamental purpose as an Institutional Review Board, providing independent ethical oversight of clinical research to protect human participants. The term IEC is more commonly used in Europe and other regions outside the United States, while IRB is the standard terminology in American regulatory frameworks. Despite the different nomenclature, both bodies share the essential mission of reviewing research proposals to ensure ethical conduct and participant protection.

IEC composition and procedures are defined by applicable national and regional regulations, with the European Union Clinical Trials Regulation establishing specific requirements for ethics committees within EU member states. Like IRBs, IECs must include members with diverse backgrounds, including individuals with medical and scientific expertise as well as lay members who can represent community perspectives and non-scientific considerations. This composition ensures that ethical review encompasses both scientific validity and broader societal concerns.

The scope of IEC review parallels that of IRBs, encompassing evaluation of the protocol, investigator qualifications, facilities, informed consent materials, and subject recruitment procedures. The committee must determine that risks are acceptable in relation to potential benefits, that participant selection criteria are appropriate and non-discriminatory, that the informed consent process is adequate, and that privacy and confidentiality protections are sufficient. Approval from the relevant IEC or IRB is a prerequisite for initiating any clinical trial involving human participants.