Exempt Review

Exempt human subject research needs to fall into one of the Exempt Review Categories. Only qualified IRB staff members are authorized to determine the eligibility for exempt status. Investigators are not authorized to make this determination.

If you think that your project may be exempt, then you will need to submit an IRB Exemption Form via the online TOPAZ Electronic Protocol Application System. The IRB Exemption Form will automatically prompt you if you answer a question with a response that would make your project ineligible for an exemption.

Examples of Commonly Exempted Research

The following types of research are commonly processed under exempt review:

  • Research on educational practices or educational curriculums
  • Benign behavioral interventions with adult subjects
  • Anonymous surveys or interviews on non-sensitive topics
  • Passive observation of public behavior without collection of identifiers

Research that is Not Eligible for Exemption

The following types of research are not eligible for exempt review:

  • Prisoners as Subjects – When prisoners are being studied as a population
  • Children as Subjects – Only allowed under certain conditions
  • Medical Records – With the exception of Limited Data Sets
  • FDA Regulated Studies – With the exception of Taste and Food Quality and Consumer Acceptance
  • Deception Studies

Categories of Exempt Review

The research must fall into one of six categories of Exempt research in order to qualify for an Exemption by the FIU Office of Research Integrity. The full listing of the Exempt Categories can be accessed online at: Exempt Review Categories. Please contact the FIU IRB Coordinator if you need help in determining the appropriate review category for your research project.