Submitting to the IRB:   For criteria on whether something requires IRB submission, click here. This guidance does not apply to student initiated research projects, all of which must be submitted to the IRB.  See JHSPH IRB policy 103.02 on Student Investigators.  Students: Check the Launchpad information to get started. IRB X meetings: Thursday mornings (expedited protocol review).  Submission of a complete application by Thursday afternoons at 5 p.m. will generally result in review on the following Thursday.  IRB FC meetings: Wednesday mornings (greater than minimal risk protocol review).  Submission of a complete application by 3 pm on Thursdays will generally result in review on the second Wednesday following submission.

What's new at the IRB?      October 2009 ·   For PIs who retain biosamples for future research, the JHSPH IRB recommends review of a powerpoint presentation by Marianna Bledsoe, MA, Clinical Research Policy Analysis and Coordination Program, OBA, OSP, OD, NIH, to assist with compliance issues. August 2009   ·   The IRB Office , in conjunction with some of our experienced JHSPH international investigators and IRB FC, has produced a human subjects research ethics training guide for use with community-based data collectors and individuals who may obtain informed consent from participants.  It may be used when conventional computer-based module training is inappropriate, for example if computer access is limited or language or literacy issues exist.  This guide presents general principles of human subjects research ethics and data integrity and may be adapted to any project.  We would like to post translations of this guide for investigator use, so please send your translations (with the certifications of the translator) to us for posting.  We will also post any other presentations based on this guide that you are willing to share with other investigators. JHSPH Human Subjects Research Ethics Field Training Guide

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is committed to protecting the rights and welfare of all individuals who participate as subjects in research. The School affirms this obligation through its Assurance with the Federal government which seeks through its Human Research Protection Program to ensure that comprehensive protection is afforded to every research participant. The School has two onsite duly constituted and authorized standing Institutional Review Boards and a private IRB (the Western IRB) that acts as a third IRB when reviewing certain studies on behalf of the JHSPH IRB. The JHSPH IRBs review all studies involving human subjects, including research methods, recruitment techniques, study procedures, consent forms and all other appropriate forms, documents and survey instruments. It is the responsibility of faculty and students to ensure that formal IRB approval is obtained before initiating contact with human subjects in any research project. A copy of the school's Federalwide Assurance is available here.