The University of Utah IRB has worked to improve the review process over the last 18-months in an effort to gain accreditation from the Association for Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) and to address regulatory issues identified by the Office for Human Research Protection (OHRP). As the next step in this process, the IRB will formally implement a “pre-board” review workflow that is already in place for the most part.

The convened IRB must have sufficient information to approve human participant research, and many of you receive feedback from IRB staff prior to review by the board. This process substantially improves the quality of applications and leads to faster turn-around after the board meeting. It also significantly reduces the number of submissions that are tabled. In the coming weeks, board dates will not be automatically assigned according to a deadline. Applications will be assigned a board review date when IRB staff determine they are complete and ready for convened board review.

The IRB will post a new Pre-Board Review Schedule and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) web page for your review next week. Your input is welcome and encouraged. All suggestions for process improvement will be considered and implemented if possible.

Please note: This This change does not adversely affect and may improve turn-around for applications that are thorough and complete. As always, timely response to IRB revision requests is vital to quick turnaround.