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Institutional Review Board

Continuing Review: Final Report | Exempt Review Instructions

Charleston Southern University's Institutional Review Board (IRB) was formed in 2003 as a response to the increase in research projects being conducted on campus.

· The IRB is composed of six faculty and a minimum of two off-campus appointees.

· The IRB is responsible for protecting the rights and welfare of human and animal research subjects that participate in research activities conducted under the auspices of the University.

· The approval of an IRB is necessary before publication in many scientific journals. Further, many granting agencies require IRB approval before research would be funded.

· Generally, there are three categories of IRB review: Exempt, Expedited, and Full. Research that is completely anonymous, does not involve sensitive topics, and does not involve a fragile population is exempt. Research that does not involve children or sensitive topics, but does not fit the requirements for exempt is considered expedited. Research involving sensitive matters such as sexual or political behavior or involving children requires a full review.

· If a researcher is not sure which level of review is required, he or she should submit a one-page query to the IRB.

· All individuals conducting or supervising research should undergo training as available through the NIH at http://cme.nci.nih.gov/. Individuals collecting data must provide a copy of the certificate that demonstrates completion of this course. IRB members must demonstrate completion of the IRB course available at the same site.