After processing your proposal, your protocol will be reviewed and evaluated. The protocol will be assigned one of the following categories:
Level I: Exempt (from full review) (no foreseeable risk)
Level II: Expedited Review (minimal risk) (reviewed by one by one or more members of the Board)
Level III: Full Board Review (more than minimal risk and/or protected subjects)
After review by the Research Compliance Specialist, an Expedited Reviewer is chosen to conduct expedited reviews, then approved by the IRB Chair. If the Initial Reviewer wishes to submit his or her own proposal to the IRB, it is sent to the Expedited Reviewer. If the Expedited Reviewer submits his or her own proposal to the IRB, it is not eligible for expedited review. Most research projects falls into the Exempt category, requiring no further review beyond the initial review level. Those proposals that require Expedited Review will be forwarded to an Expedited Reviewer. Proposals that require Full review will be forwarded to the IRB Committee, and the IRB as a whole will perform the review.
All research proposals evaluated by the Research Compliance Specialist, the Expedited Reviewer, the IRB Chair and/or the full IRB Committee are done so with regard to the degree of “risk,” if any, to human subjects.