Glossary Term

Single IRB (sIRB)

An arrangement in which one IRB serves as the IRB of record for all participating sites in a multi-site study.

The 2018 Common Rule and NIH single-IRB policy generally require federally funded cooperative research to use a single IRB of record. Sites cede review through a reliance agreement.

Benefits

Eliminates duplicative reviews
Speeds activation across sites
Provides consistent decisions on protocol and consent

Local context (e.g., state law, institutional policies, community considerations) must still be addressed by the relying sites.

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