Understanding responsibilities under reliance

Quick guide: Understanding responsibilities under reliance

Reliance occurs when one or more relying institutions choose to accept IRB review and oversight for a research project from another institution's reviewing IRB. In these situations, the reviewing IRB provides IRB review and oversight for conduct of the research at the relying institution(s).

Reliance may change the number of IRBs that are involved in the IRB review process for a single study, but it doesn't change the amount of work required to obtain IRB approval for a protocol or a specific site. Instead, that work is simply shifted from the relying institutions to the site responsible for IRB review.

Words to know

Reliance – When one or more relying institutions choose to accept IRB review and oversight for a research project from another institution's reviewing IRB. In these situations, the reviewing IRB provides IRB review and oversight for conduct of the research at the relying institution(s).

Reviewing IRB – The IRB that will be reviewing research from all participating sites

Communication plan – A written plan that details the flow of documents and communication between local sites

Relying institution – institution that agrees to accept IRB review and oversight from a reviewing IRB