FAQs

An IRB member is considered to have a conflict of interest if they are actively involved in the conduct of the research for a submission that is being reviewed at Committee. 

Examples that are NOT considered a conflict of interest:

• An IRB member works in the same department as a PI of a submission.
• An IRB member knows the PI of a submission.
• An IRB member is listed on a study that is not being reviewed at Committee.

Any IRB member with a potential conflict of interest related to a research protocol under review by the IRB must disclose the conflict of interest to the IRB Chair and remove themselves from the discussion of the protocol and the related vote. When meetings are held via Zoom, the conflicted member will be placed in a breakout room during deliberation of the submission.

Logging a comment is a way to communicate with the assigned IRB Coordinator or study team while logging Review Comments is how you provide your formal review as an IRB member.

A private comment can only be seen by the IRB staff and Committee members. A public comment can be seen by everyone, including the research team.

Please log your Review Comments for each submission you’re assigned to review by the Monday before the scheduled meeting. For example, if the meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 7/12/2022, please log your Review Comments in eIRB by end of day Monday, 7/11/2022. 

Please Confirm Attendance in eIRB no later than 1 week prior to the scheduled meeting. For example, if the meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 7/12/2022, please Confirm Attendance in eIRB no later than noon on Tuesday, 7/5/2022.

Reviews are usually conducted independently; however, it is acceptable and encouraged that the primary and secondary reviewers communicate about the submission.

Voting is not available in eIRB. You will be prompted to vote on the submission in Zoom during the meeting.