Glossary Term

Belmont Report

Governance

Also known as: Belmont principles, Belmont

The 1979 report that articulated the three core ethical principles for human-subjects research: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.

Issued by the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, the Belmont Report is the philosophical foundation for U.S. human-subjects regulations.

The three principles

**Respect for persons**: individuals as autonomous agents; extra protection for those with diminished autonomy
**Beneficence**: maximize benefits, minimize harms
**Justice**: fair distribution of research burdens and benefits

These principles map to informed consent, risk/benefit analysis, and fair subject selection.

Need IRB review for your study?

Elemental IRB provides fast, transparent ethical oversight for commercial and academic research.

See pricing → How it works →