REB Applications
1. Who can I contact for guidance when completing a research ethics board application?
For queries related to completing an research ethics board (REB) application, contact Research Ethics.
2. Can residents or fellows be local principal investigators at Sunnybrook?
No, residents and fellows cannot be principal investigators. However, they may act as co-investigators on a study being conducted at Sunnybrook.
3. What happens to a research ethics board application after it is submitted to research ethics?
The following describes what happens to research ethics board (REB) applications after being received by research ethics:
- All applications, received by the deadline for consideration at the REB meeting held the following month, are screened to ensure that they are complete and include all required appendices and appropriate signatures. Applications received after the deadline are held by research ethics and screened the following month.
- Applications for delegated review are distributed to a REB member for review.
- Applications for full board review are distributed to all REB members for review and discussion at the next full board meeting. The REB utilizes the primary and secondary reviewer model for initial review. Primary and secondary reviewers are required to review assigned research projects in detail and lead the discussion at the meeting.
- After a review, delegated or full board, and if the reviewer(s) require clarification, a comment letter is issued to the principal investigator.
- The principal investigator responds to the comment letter by way of research ethics.
- Once all comments have been satisfactorily addressed, an approval letter is issued to the principal investigator.
The length of time from the REB submission deadline to research ethics issuing a comment letter is about three to four weeks.
4. Can I submit a research ethics board application if the funding is pending?
To reduce the number of unnecessary research ethics board (REB) reviews completed for research proposals that are never initiated due to unsuccessful funding applications, the REB requests that you do not submit for review until confirmation of funding has been received.
The REB will consider the review of applications when funding is pending if it is a requirement of the funding agency or if there is confirmation that the research will proceed even if funding is not awarded. The reason must be clearly documented on the REB application.
