In the context of HIPAA, what best defines the term "research"?

The term "research" in the context of HIPAA is best defined as the development of generalizable knowledge. This definition emphasizes the goal of research activities, which is to gain insights that can be applied broadly beyond the specific study or experiment being conducted. In biomedical research, the intention is often to gather evidence that supports findings applicable across similar populations, conditions, or treatments, contributing to new knowledge within the scientific community.

Other terms like quality assessment and improvement or population health may involve systematic study methods, but they do not encapsulate the broader aim of generating knowledge applicable to wider contexts. Similarly, merely conducting work in a federally-supported laboratory doesn’t inherently qualify as research; the critical factor is whether the outcome contributes to generalizable knowledge. The definition of research aligns with the ethical principles and regulations governing human subjects research, where the focus is not just on gathering data, but also on deriving conclusions that can benefit larger populations.