HS-IRBs News January 2014
Health Sciences and Minimal Risk IRBs, IRB News / Volume 6, Number 1, January 2014
HS-IRBs Office Closure
The HS-IRBs office will be closed Monday, January 20th. The ARROW helpline also will not be staffed on this day.
Reminder: Continuing Review Submission Deadlines
Recently, a large number of continuing review applications have been submitted less than 1 month prior to study expiration. Please keep in mind that continuing review applications should be submitted no later than 60 days prior to expiration of IRB approval per the HS-IRBs' reporting and submission time frames guidance. Given the high volume of continuing review submissions, this time frame allows the HS-IRBs staff reviewers sufficient time to work with study teams to resolve any issues with an application well in advance of expiration of IRB approval for a study.
Have Questions about ARROW? "Ask ARROW IRB" Is Here To Help
If you have questions about how to use ARROW or want to report an ARROW technical issue, please email askarrowirb@medicine.wisc.edu for help. This email address is monitored by IRB staff from 9AM to 3PM weekdays.
Education and Outreach Survey Results and New Outreach Projects
We thank everyone who took the time to complete the HS-IRBs' education and outreach survey in late 2013. The feedback we received has been very valuable in helping us assess current education resource and identify new outreach activities . Those who responded to the survey generally found existing HS-IRBs resources to be useful, including the website as well as our point of contact and consultation services. Based on the survey feedback, we will be working on developing and piloting 2 new outreach initiatives in 2014:
- IRB workshops on special topics such as reportable events and multisite research
- IRB staff reviewer liaisons for specific departments and research areas
Details about these initiatives will be provided in future newsletters. If you have any questions about these pilot projects, please contact Brooke Mechelke (bmechelke@medicine.wisc.edu).
New: ARROW Improvements on the Way
Graduate School IT is working on several improvements to ARROW that will be implemented in the next few weeks. Upcoming changes include:
- New and improved printer-friendly version functionality for applications
- More detailed instructions on the final page of each application about how to submit it to the IRB office
- Clearer display of information study teams enter on the funding and interviews/surveys pages of the initial review application
- Five year renewal notifications sent through ARROW and logged in the continuing review workspace
Register Now for Upcoming IRB for Beginners Workshops
The HS-IRBs office has scheduled the first IRB for Beginners Workshops for 2014. These 90-minute workshops will be held in the HSLC computer lab and will give participants a first-hand view of the resources available on the HS-IRBs website as well as basic tools and tips for the ARROW electronic application submission system. The workshops will also introduce participants to the IRB’s review process and procedures. This workshop is designed to help people who are new to the HS-IRBs review process. This workshop is scheduled for the following dates:
- Tuesday February 4th 1:00 - 2:30 PM (HSLC Room 2121)
- Wednesday February 12th 3:00 - 4:30 PM (HSLC Room 2121)
Registration is required. Please email Brooke Mechelke at bmechelke@medicine.wisc.edu to reserve your spot in one of the future sessions. Space is limited.
Reminder: Next ARROW Open Lab on January 30th
The HS-IRBs office has previously held open lab
sessions for study teams seeking assistance with using ARROW. We are again
offering an open lab for anyone who wants help using ARROW. No formal training
will be offered, but HS-IRBs staff will be available to answer any questions
study teams have about ARROW.
The ARROW open lab will be held on Thursday, January 30th from 11AM
to 11:30AM in the HSLC computer lab (HSLC 2121). Registration is required
and capped at 20 participants. To register, please email bmechelke@medicine.wisc.edu.
Questions? We're Here to Help!
Whether you have a question about a specific protocol, a general question about the submission process, or need clarification about research policy, we have several ways you can reach us.
- Urgent issues (e.g., subject safety concerns), please call our main line (608-263-2362) and ask to speak with the staff reviewer on call for the day. Please do NOT use email for these kinds of questions.
- General IRB questions, please call our main line (608-263-2362) to speak with the staff reviewer on call or email asktheirb@medicine.wisc.edu. These are the quickest ways to get help with general questions.
- Specific questions regarding the status of your review and/or reviewer notes, please contact the staff reviewer assigned to your application.
- Help with single IRB review and reliance questions, email irbreliance.wisc.edu.
- Assistance with ARROW or technical questions, email askarrowirb@medicine.wisc.edu.
- Newsletter and other IRB updates, please sign up for the general HS-IRBs listserv by emailing join-hs_irbs_announcements@lists.wisc.edu.
- WIRB updates, please sign up for the WIRB listsserv by emailing submitwirb@medicine.wisc.edu with a request to be put on the list.
- Consultations: For investigators seeking assistance on a specific program or application, HS-IRBs staff are available for individual consultations. To request a consultation, complete the HS-IRBs Presentation and Consultation Request Form.
- Presentations: The HS-IRBs office is available to provide the research community with presentations and trainings on a variety of topics. To request a presentation, complete the HS-IRBs Presentation and Consultation Request Form.