The IRB Standard Operating Procedures have been updated to reflect a new policy on deception involving human subjects. The deception policy can be found by downloading the SOPs at http://oric.research.wvu.edu/r/download/97048 and navigating to section 3.7.10. The new policy reads:

“3.7.10 Deception

Definition: Deception occurs as the result of investigators providing false or incomplete information to participants.

The IRB accepts the need for certain types of behavioral and social science studies to employ strategies that include deception. Employment of such strategies must, however, be justified. In general, deception is not acceptable if, in the judgment of the IRB, the participant may have declined to participate had they been informed of the true purpose of the research. Studies that use deception as part of their experimental design must meet all the requirements of 45 CFR §46.116(d), described below, and include a post-study debriefing, unless an exception is granted by the IRB. If such an exception is requested, this will require full board review.
In the event that a study includes the use of deception, the investigator must:

• Provide a justification for the deception (i.e., why the study could not be
conducted without deception);
• Describe the manner of deception (e.g., the participants are not informed of the
true intent of the study) and/or how the deception will take place (e.g., a
confederate will simulate an accident);
• Note whether the deception results in any increased risk to participants (e.g.,
confederates engage in a staged altercation , which could result in emotional
upset) or may affect subject’s willingness to participate in research;
• Describe how any additional risks would be minimized; and
• Offer the participant the option to withdraw their data from the study in the debriefing script.”