The RITM-IRB is an administrative body and independent committee created and organized on the basis of RITM Office Order No 6, s. 1983, dated February 7, 1983 to evaluate the technical and ethical aspects of human research before a study commences. The IRB has the authority to approve, require modifications or revisions or disapprove research protocols that fall within its jurisdiction. It also has the responsibility to monitor approved researches to confirm continued adherence to the approved documents.

To maintain its function, the RITM-IRB complies and adheres to the policies set up by the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB), the national policy making body in health research ethics in the country. The IRB undergoes PHREB accreditation to confirm that it is observing the universal principles for the protection of human research participants.

The IRB has been accredited since 2014, with a Level 3 accreditation. This means that it can review all types of researches including drug and vaccine trials, or studies required in application for marketing authorization of food, drugs by the P-FDA – the Philippines regulatory agency, and any other types of researches with human participants.

The RITM-IRB is also recognized by the Forum for Ethical Review Committees in Asia and the Western Pacific (FERCAP), a project of the World Health Organization (WHO) Special Training and Research Programme in Tropical Diseases (TDR) and under the umbrella of the Strategic Initiative for Developing Capacity in Ethical Review (SIDCER). RITM-IRB was fully recognized by FERCAP since 2007 until to date. This means that the RITM-IRB has regional recognition of its competence.

The RITM-IRB is also registered with the US-FDA/Office of Health Research Protection (OHRP) with registration number (IRB Registration Number 00000919) since March 2001 and has been given Federal Wide Assurance (FWA Assurance No. 00000195). Its Federal Wide Assurance (FWA) allows the IRB to review US federally funded grants like those from the US - National Institutes of Health and other US federal agencies.