The University has launched the electronic submission system for the Human Subjects review of relevant University research.
Instructions for the eIRB can be found on the Getting Started page of the Human Subjects Protection Program menu of the Vice President for Research, Innovation & Impact (RII) website, which includes access to several training modules for different IRB options. It is recommended that the training videos found on the site be reviewed.
Required compliance: On the RII Compliance Training Page, there are links to required compliances for research. Most are not relevant to routine School of Anthropology research activities, but each researcher should review them to identify those specific to their study. On the other hand:
- The CITI training courses are obligatory for all researchers before the IRB request is submitted. These courses are online and available on the HSPP Training Requirements page.
- Conflict of Interest compliance also requires completion of formal training and a formal statement of COI prior to the submission of the IRB request. See the Office for Responsible Outside Interests page (formerly the Conflict of Interest Program).
School of Anthropology Instructions
The new system has been somewhat simplified by having researchers enter the submission to the IRB committee via an electronic portal. There are likely to be kinks in the system, especially with regard to how the School of Anthropology monitors and archives submissions of its faculty and students. For now, the process of submitting a request involves the following steps:
- The first step is for the researcher to fill out the IRB Protocol form (which has been revised).
- Within the Protocol form, the researcher will find internal links to consent form templates, instructions for the recruitment of participants and advertising, research data collection tools, data management requirements, international travel registry, and other aspects of the submission.
- Next, the researcher seeks the Scientific/Scholarly Review and Department approval. The researcher sends the Protocol and other documents to Perlana Howard in the SOA via email. She will register the request and pass the documents on to the SOA Human Subjects Committee for review by one of its members. This Committee may contact the researcher via email to ask for clarification or revision, in which case, the researcher should respond directly to the Committee member.
- The SOA Human Subjects Committee will then send the reviewed documents with their assessment to the SOA Director. Once all revisions have been completed and the submission request has been approved at the SOA level, the SOA Director will send an email to the researcher and the Human Subjects Committee issuing approval of the project. This approval from the Director is then attached to the new study application in the IRB submission along with all documents, including revised versions.
- Once the Protocol and its accompanying documents are prepared and the Scientific/Scholarly Review and Departmental approval granted, the researcher clicks the ACCESS EIRB tab on the right hand side of any HSPP page. This is the official university submission pathway, and it requires the basic information about the proposed study. This application should be completed and the Protocol and other documents, including the Scientific/Scholarly Review and Departmental approval, should be attached before hitting the SUBMIT button.
At this point the IRB submission sits under the review of the University of Arizona IRB Committee. After approval (or not) of this Committee, the research can begin (or not).
Previous Communications
The Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP) will launch a new system, eIRB, designed to make submitting human research protocols easier and faster. For more information about the implementation process, please visit RII’s New Systems Information webpage.
Please note the following updated dates. These dates may still be subject to change. However, to prepare yourselves for summer work, please plan on these dates for submission of materials to the IRB. We will update you once we have new information.
- August 20, 2021: Last day to submit to the HSPP to guarantee approval prior to the current system close out. Any submissions received by this date but not yet finalized, OR any submission received after this deadline may not be reviewed and will be returned to you with further instruction on how to proceed.
- August 25-September 12, 2021: Blackout period (No IRB system will be available for submissions).
- September 13, 2021: eIRB is available to submit materials to the IRB.
How will this affect you?
The new system is relevant to all University employees and students who conduct research involving human subjects.
For all submissions received by August 20, 2021: We will review and approve all submissions received prior to August 20, 2021. Submissions must be finalized before the blackout period. In addition, any submissions received after this deadline may not be reviewed and will be returned to you with further instruction on how to proceed.
If your existing project(s) is set to expire during the planned blackout period: Please submit a renewal or closure paperwork to VPR-IRB@arizona.edu as soon as possible. The HSPP will prioritize renewal submissions to ensure approval does not lapse due to system down time.
For urgent matters and Just-in-Time (JIT) requests that arise during the planned blackout period: Please contact Christine Melton-Lopez, Director HSPP, directly at melton1@arizona.edu.
Thank you for your understanding during this major transition. For questions or more information, please contact the HSPP at VPR-IRB@arizona.edu.