Time required to review research protocols at 10 Veterans Affairs Institutional Review Boards.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite perceptions that institutional review boards (IRBs) delay research, little is known about how long it takes to secure IRB approval. We retrospectively quantified IRB review times at 10 large Veterans Affairs (VA) IRBs.

Methods

We collected IRB records pertaining to a stratified random sample of research protocols drawn from 10 of the 26 largest VA IRBs. Two independent analysts abstracted dates from the IRB records, from which we calculated overall and incremental review times. We used multivariable linear regression to assess variation in total and incremental review times by IRB and review level (i.e., exempt, expedited, or full board) and to identify potential targets for efforts to improve the efficiency and uniformity of the IRB review process.

Res

SUBMITTER: Varley PR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7224356 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature