7.1. Federal Agencies Using the Common Rule

The regulation governing the use of humans in research is  known as the revised Common Rule. Twenty federal agencies or departments follow the revised Common Rule. Each department or agency may also have additional regulations regarding human subjects research in addition to the Common Rule.

These departments and agencies include:

1. 1. Agency for International Development (USAID)
   2. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
   3. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
   4. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
   5. Department of Commerce (DOC)
   6. Department of Defense (DoD)
   7. Department of Education (US ED)
   8. Department of Energy (DOE)
   9. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
   10. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
   11. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
   12. Department of Justice (DOJ)
   13. Department of Labor (DOL)
   14. Department of Transportation (DOT)
   15. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
   16. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
   17. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
   18. National Science Foundation (NSF)
   19. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)
   20. Social Security Administration (SSA)

7.2. Federal Agencies Not Using the Common Rule

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is an agency within the Department of Health and Human services that regulates clinical studies of products under its jurisdiction, such as drugs, biological products, and medical devices.

FDA is not considered a Common Rule agency because its regulations differ from the Common Rule. However, FDA’s regulations about human subject research are similar to the Common Rule and stem from the same history and ethical principles.