What happens to your application once it is submitted?
Once you submit your protocol application, it is placed in the queue for review. The Ethics and Compliance Officer will then contact you within a week and let you know if your research is minimal risk or if it needs a full review.
The ethics review is a potentially time-consuming process which should be fully engaged with and not left to the last minute. A high-quality research ethics application requires time and careful planning. Researchers are strongly advised to allow sufficient time to develop a well-designed ethics application that addresses all relevant ethical issues. It is recommended that you allow at 4-6 working weeks for the low-risk review process.
These timeframes below apply to ‘review ready’ applications, namely applications that have been submitted to a high-quality standard, have complete supporting documents, and are fully developed.
Faculty research projects
Minimal risk submissions (2-3 weeks for revisions)
- Minimal risk submissions take a minimum of two weeks for the HREB to review and send you any necessary revisions. Once you resubmit revisions to the HREB, approval is then usually given between 1-2 weeks unless further revisions are required.
Higher risk submissions (3 weeks for revisions*)
- High risk applications must first have been through a peer-reviewed process.
- *If a high risk protocol was submitted to the HREB by the deadline, it will be reviewed at the regular scheduled meeting two weeks later. The application must be fully developed and complete. Incomplete submissions will not be put onto the agenda.
- After the meeting, revisions will be sent within a few days. Then the protocol will follow the same time frame it would have if it were minimal risk, unless major revisions are required in which case it needs to come back to another full board meeting.
Student research projects
If there are multiple student protocols from an instructor for class assignments or for a cohort, the review and approval time will be longer than the guidelines and projects will be reviewed in the order they are received. Please allow enough time for your students to receive approval of their project.
Minimal risk submissions (2 weeks for revisions)
- Recognizing the tight timelines students have to complete a research project in a semester, student projects that are minimal risk will usually be reviewed within two weeks. We expect full supervisor participation in the process.
Higher risk submissions (2-3 weeks for review*)
- High risk applications must first have been through a peer-reviewed process.
- If a student is engaging in high risk research, they must demonstrate to the HREB how they are fully trained and experienced to take on such a project.
- *If the student project is not minimal risk, it needs to be reviewed and approved by the full HREB board at the monthly meeting. The protocol review time is subject to the meeting date – if the student submits before the deadline of the next meeting then it will be reviewed at that meeting and revisions will be requested after the meeting. If the student misses the deadline the protocol will have to wait until the next month’s meeting.
Please contact us if you have questions or concerns
