What is an IRB?
The Health Science Center at UT Tyler has two Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). Each IRB meets monthly and is properly constituted to review all submissions and types of research.
The IRB is charged with the responsibility of reviewing, prior to its initiation, research involving human participants. One of the IRB’s priorities is to ensure that the rights, welfare, and privacy of human participants are protected.
To accomplish this, the IRB has the authority to approve, require modifications before approval, disapprove, suspend, terminate, and observe the consent process for research that falls within its jurisdiction as specified by both the federal regulations and institutional policy.
The minimum number of an IRB is five members; however HSC appoints between 12 and 24 members on each IRB, seeking members that reflect diversity in race, gender, cultural and educational backgrounds and sensitivity to community issues and attitudes.
These volunteers include scientists and non-scientists, and all are community members who seek make a difference in the health of their communities.
Diversity on the IRBs promotes respect for its advice and counsel in safeguarding the rights and welfare of human participants.
For studies involving vulnerable populations (children, prisoners, individuals with impaired decision-making capacity, economically disadvantaged, or educationally disadvantaged participants), the IRB includes one or more individuals who are knowledgeable and experienced in working with these populations of participants.
Jurisdiction:
The HSC IRBs routinely review and approve research when HSC or partner hospitals are engaged in human subjects’ research. Our IRB serves as the IRBs of record for the following partner hospitals:
UT Health East Texas Healthcare System