Characterization of research protocols: a study in Paraíba, Brazil

Abstract This article provides a description of all the research protocols evaluated by the Research Ethics Committee of the Instituto Federal da Paraíba (the Federal Institute of Paraíba) (CEP/IFPB), from its foundation in 2008 until 2014. A descriptive and documental case study type review was performed. Of 228 protocols considered, 82.02% were approved. The predominant areas of knowledge were Human Sciences (21.05%) and Social Sciences (21.05%). The IFPB Campus in Joao Pessoa (35.52%) approved the most protocols. The researchers responsible for the research protocols were predominantly professors (86.84%) and the majority had post-graduate qualifications (52.63%), with a rate of one protocol per researcher predominating. It was concluded that in assessing the ethics of the protocols submitted, the CEP/IFPB has been acting in the interests of ethical reflection in scientific research, contributing to the development of studies guided by ethical standards and by the need to provide more protection to research participants.