Institutional review boards (IRBs) and research integrity offices (RIOs) play distinct but related roles in research oversight and compliance. It’s critical to understand the differences between each group’s purviews, and the importance of open and effective communication during the review process. On March 17, 2016, PRIM&R hosted a webinar titled Building a Relationship with your Research Integrity Office, presented by Ross Hickey, JD, CIP, CPIA. (more…) Read more
IRBs consistently struggle with identifying and retaining skilled, motivated members. How do you navigate the challenges of maintaining a knowledgeable and committed IRB? Read more
I was quite excited to find out about the Big Data: Practical Solutions to Emerging Challenges for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) webinar offered by PRIM&R. We are in the process of revising the section of our IRB application that deals with data security at my institution, and much of the data we work with certainly fits at least one of the 12 definitions of big data noted in this article that was provided as a background resource by the presenters. Our application revision process has raised many questions: What is the exact scope of the IRB’s responsibility for ensuring researchers’ responsible use of big data? How do we anticipate potential risks, and how do we convey these risks to researchers who may not initially see the potential harms that could arise from lack of attentiveness to ethical use of data? Read more
Recently, PRIM&R hosted a webinar titled Grant and Protocol Congruency for IACUCs. After the webinar, the speakers answered some of the questions from webinar attendees that time didn’t allow us to answer live. Read more
Recently, PRIM&R hosted a webinar titled Institutional Review Board (IRB) Review of mHealth Research: Best Practices and Future Challenges , presented by John Wilbanks and Jeremy Block, PhD, MPP.
In recent years, digital and mobile health (mHealth) technologies have increased dramatically with the proliferation of smartphones, apps, and wearable data devices where users generate data. Rapid, widespread collection of personal health data from a broad cross-section of individuals is now possible on a scale unthinkable only a few years ago. As our society as a whole and the research community adopts these technologies, IRBs need to anticipate and address the challenges in achieving compliance and protecting human [...] Read more
