Under HIPAA, what is required for human subjects research that uses PHI without authorization?

In the context of human subjects research that involves the use of Protected Health Information (PHI) without authorization, a waiver of authorization is necessary under HIPAA. This option allows researchers to utilize PHI for their studies without obtaining explicit consent from participants, provided that certain criteria are met. These criteria generally include demonstrating that the research could not be practicably conducted without the waiver, that the risks to privacy are minimal, and that the rights of subjects are not adversely affected.

The requirement for a waiver of authorization reflects the importance of protecting individuals' privacy while facilitating research that may benefit public health or medical knowledge. Researchers must apply to an Institutional Review Board (IRB) to assess whether their research meets the criteria for such a waiver.

The other options do not accurately reflect the requirements under HIPAA for using PHI in research without authorization. Notably, alteration of authorization and disclosure accounting are different concepts and are not applicable to the condition of conducting research without obtaining explicit consent, while stating that no special requirements exist would also disregard the regulatory framework designed to protect individual privacy rights.