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Institutional Review Board (IRB)

The policies and principles stipulated in the Belmont Report largely inform those of an Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Every university or research institution must, legally, have its own or an affiliated IRB. The IRB is intended to provide oversight, administrative support, and educational training to ensure that research done at that location complies with federal and state regulations, and university or institutional policy. IRB requirements, procedures, and timelines vary from institution to institution, but they have many commonalities.

When is IRB review required?

Usually, IRB review is required when research is...

  • Conducted at this organization;
  • Conducted by or under the direction of any employee or agent of this organization (including students) in connection with his or her organizationresponsibilities;
  • Conducted by or under the direction of any employee or agent (including students) of this organization using any property or facility of this organization; or
  • Involving the use of this organization's non-public information to identify, contact, or study human subjects.

Source: The University of Norte Dame Institutional Human Research Protections Program Policy

Who thinks they will need to apply for IRB approval?

Note: IRB protocols and procedures vary from institution to institution. Be sure to seek specific information from your home institution if you think there is a chance you may need IRB approval. That said, once your project is under their radar, you cannot undo their gaze onto it.

There are different categories of IRB approval required depending on your type of project (expedited or full review). Each category of review has different requirements for submission and renewal. Many IRBs also provide templates for important documents like informed consent. Some universities also have a process for the IRB to determine if you are conducting human subjects research, if you are unsure if your project needs approval.

So you think you may need IRB approval?

Some advice:

  • Aim to submit your IRB application at least 3 months prior to the start date of your research (often times, the applicant will need to submit multiple revisions thereafter)
  • Make sure you and anyone who may work with participants or the data have completed any necessary exams or trainings-for example, universities often make it a requirement to pass an exam through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI program)
  • Keep in mind that the IRB usually requires you to attach all grant proposals (if applicable) that fund the project.
  • Sharing photos, videos, or audio files of people to a public website or another publicly accessible space/repository as part of your research? You will need all participants to sign a legal deed of gift (an example here, specific to oral history projects)
  • Also consider if you are working with institutions who have their own IRB, what their requirements are (e.g. hospitals, other research institutions, or community IRBs)

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