Your protocol goes under an administrative pre-review for completeness, clarity, and potential animal welfare concerns before it goes to the committee.
Any questions raised during this review are resolved with the principal investigator, and a new protocol is submitted to the committee for a designated member review or full committee review.
Committee members are notified of all protocol submissions. Each member has the option to request a full committee review or allow the protocol to be reviewed by a designated committee member (or members).
Full committee review: If any member requests full committee review, the protocol is reviewed at the next scheduled IACUC meeting. In some cases, a special meeting is called to review the protocol. Approval of the project may only be granted if the protocol is reviewed and approved by the majority of members present at the meeting. A protocol could also be referred to the DMR process by the full committee.
Designated member review: After consultation with the committee Chair, the IACUC office will designate at least one member of the committee to conduct a designated member review. The designated member has the authority to approve, require modifications, request additional information, or request a full committee review. A designated member also may approve the protocol on behalf of the committee. If there are multiple designated reviewers, all must agree in order to approve the project. Any member of the committee may submit questions or comments for consideration for the designated member during the review process. All questions or comments will be forwarded to the principal investigator, for the opportunity to answer or clarify.
For a protocol to be approved, all reviewers must be in agreement, all research personnel must have completed IACUC-required training, and a safety review must have been conducted.
