What is a Single IRB?

A single IRB (sIRB) is an Institutional Review Board that oversees all sites participating in a multisite study. When a single IRB is being used, all engaged sites much submit to the same IRB for approval. Using a single IRB does not mean that only 1 IRB review is required to obtain approval for all sites.

What is the SMART IRB Master Reliance Agreement and can I use it?

The SMART IRB Master Reliance Agreement is a national reliance agreement that is designed to harmonize and streamline the IRB review process for multisite studies, while ensuring a high level of protection for research participants. SMART IRB is NOT an IRB that reviews research.

When possible, Washington University IRB will use the SMART IRB agreement as the basis for reliance when serving as the sIRB and when relying on another institution’s IRB.

To learn more about the SMART IRB reliance agreement and confirm whether your collaborators have signed on, please visit: www.smartirb.org.

Are there fees involved in using a single IRB?

Yes, all studies where Washington University IRB acts as the IRB are subject to non-negotiable fees. Some studies deferred to other IRBs also incur fees. Please see the Fees section of the website for more information.

Content current as of 10/5/2022