The Institutional Review Boards and IRB program have undergone significant changes over the past four years with the implementation of the CATS IRB system.
During this time, the number of submissions requiring full committee review has decreased by 66 percent. This decrease in submissions to the full committee is due to the IRB program’s reevaluation of its interpretation of the federal regulations. Most social/behavioral/educational applications meet criteria for expedited review or exemption determination and therefore do not require full committee review. Moreover, continuing reviews and modifications for studies deemed minimal risk by the full committee may qualify for expedited review. This reassessment of processes is part of the IRB’s commitment to reducing researcher burden.
The IRB committee is comprised of faculty, staff, and community members who serve as voluntary members; the Office for Research Protections is grateful for their service to Penn State and the research community.