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>Then, the researchers gave each participant nasal drops containing rhinovirus 39, one of the viruses responsible for the common cold, sequestered them in separate hotel rooms for five days and asked them to record how they felt.

I... don't understand how ethics boards work.

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They consider the potential for long term harm, of any kind, and the possible benefits and then advise. Rhinovirus 39 is unpleasant, but neither traumatic nor dangerous in healthy subjects. There is also no issue of zoonotic transmission leading to potential for dangerous mutations within a reservoir.

Edit: Rhinovirus 39 is also incredibly well studied, cheap, and easy to inoculate a subject with.

“Then, the researchers gave each participant an intranasal live-virus vaccine against rhinovirus 39...”

Joking aside, what part of this seems improperly managed by the IRB?

not badly managed... I just didn't think it was okay to make people sick for your study; perhaps "I don't understand what standards are applied by the ethics board." would have been more correct.

It’s a risk/benefits balance. Rhinovirus 39 is very low risk, especially under controlled conditions. Loneliness in the developed Western world is a growing problem, so gaining a better understanding of what impact it will have has clear benefits.

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