An independent body (a review board or a committee, institutional, regional, national or supranational) constituted of medical professionals and non-medical members whose responsibility it is to ensure the protection of the rights, safety and well-being of human participants involved in a trial and to provide public assurance of that protection by, among other things, reviewing and approving/providing favourable opinion on the trial protocol, the suitability of the investigator(s), the facilities, and the methods and material to be used in obtaining and documenting informed consent of the trial participants. The legal status, composition, function, operations and regulatory requirements pertaining to IRBs/IECs may differ among countries but should allow the IRB/IEC to act in agreement with GCP as described in this guideline.