IRB Frequently Asked Questions

The following FAQs are provided to address commonly answered questions from researchers.

General Issues

IRB approval is required when conducting “research” with “human subjects”.

For more information, see “Determining if IRB Review is Needed

A human subject is defined as a living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research (a) obtains information or biospecimens through intervention or interaction with the individual, and uses, studies, or analyzes the information or biospecimens; or (b) obtains, uses, studies, analyzes, or generates identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens.

For more information, see “Determining if IRB Review is Needed

Research is defined as a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.

  • Systematic investigation is an activity that involves a prospective plan that incorporates data collection, either quantitative or qualitative, and data analysis to answer a question.
  • Generalizable knowledge relates to drawing general conclusions, informing policy, or generalizing findings beyond a single individual or an internal program (e.g., publications or presentations.)

For more information, see “Determining if IRB Review is Needed

A pilot study is usually a preliminary investigation of the feasibility of a larger study, usually done on a small scale and is exploratory in nature. It is designed to help the investigator refine data collection procedures and instruments or prepare a better, more precise research design. Sometimes pilot studies are conducted to collect initial data in support of or preparation for a grant submission. Pilot studies, sometimes called feasibility studies, mock studies, or dry-run studies, involving human subjects (no matter how small the sample size is) require the same scrutiny as full-scale research projects and therefore, must be submitted for IRB review and approval. This requirement applies regardless of whether pilot data will be used for publication purposes or not. It is recommended to explicitly identify in an IRB submission when a study is intended as a pilot study.

Federal regulations do not distinguish between self-experimentation and research on subjects recruited for a specific project. Faculty, staff, and students who wish to act as participants in their own research are considered human subjects. All self-experimentation human research activities require IRB review and approval prior to commencing the study.

Please view our Obtaining IRB Approval web page for a basic snapshot of the IRB approval process. In addition, our Policies and Procedures web page provides information on a number of IRB specific areas (Informed Consent, Review Criteria, Data Security, etc.).

IRB protocols need to be submitted through the online TOPAZ Electronic Protocol Application System. Please access the Quick Reference Guide for a high level overview of the TOPAZ system and the Full User Guide for a more detailed explanation with step-by-step screenshots of the submission process.

Yes, the PI does not have the authority to deem his/her proposal as exempt even if it appears to meet all of the criteria. All official approvals and exemption determinations need to come from the FIU Office of Research Integrity.

Exempt and Expedited review occur on an ongoing basis. Full Board review occurs once a month during the last week of the month (unless otherwise noted). The IRB Meeting Schedule is posted for your information.

Exempt and Expedited submissions normally take approximately 2-3 weeks. This time frame will vary depending on a number of circumstances. The complexity of the protocol, the completeness of the submission, and the current workload will all impact the time frame.

Full Board submissions normally take 1-2 months. This time frame will vary depending on a number of circumstances. The complexity of the protocol, the completeness of the submission, and the current workload will all impact the time frame.

In most cases (NIH, NSF, Dept. of Education) you will be submitting the approval information “just in time”, when you receive a fundable score, or when the agency requests the IRB approval information. All of these time frames occur prior to the release of the award to the Office of Research and Economic Development at FIU. For the most accurate information, the PI should consult the agency for guidelines for the use of human subjects.

FIU and most funding agencies will not release funding for spending until IRB approval has been verified. Contact the Office of Research and Economic Development and/or the IRB Coordinator for assistance.

Federal-Wide Assurance (FWA): FWA00000060 (Expires: 02/09/2027)
Health Sciences IRB Registration Number: IRB00008168
Social and Behavioral IRB Registration Number: IRB00008169

Yes.  After receipt of initial IRB approval, investigators are required to:

  • Utilize the stamped version of the Informed Consent Forms (when applicable);
  • Submit for Continuing IRB Review and receive approval;
  • Submit Amendments to the IRB for review;
  • Report Adverse Events as they occur;
  • Report Protocol Deviations as they occur;
  • Submit Completion Report at end of study

What are the consequences of noncompliance in research involving human subjects? The IRB reserves the authority to suspend or terminate approval of research. The suspension of an IRB project that is being funded will in turn affect the continued use of funds on the account. Anyone conducting human subjects research without the approval of the IRB may be subject to a finding of research misconduct.

Yes, there are detailed procedures located at the Adverse Event (AE) Reporting web page. This includes definitions of AE’s and the appropriate paperwork to be completed by the Investigator. The Principal Investigator is responsible for knowing reporting procedures, providing written notification to the IRB Office and verifying receipt of notification.

You may contact the IRB Coordinator or an IRB Member.

The categories are found in the Policies and Procedures page under the “Review Criteria” section.

No, lotteries/raffles/drawings are not permitted for compensation to participants in research, since the Florida Constitution and Statutes prohibits it.

Investigators are required by HHS regulations to keep signed informed consent forms for at least 3 years after the completion of the study.  Investigators are required to keep signed HIPAA Authorization Forms for at least 6 years from the date of creation or the date when it last was in effect, whichever is later.

The Office of the General Counsel offers a Photographic/Film Consent & Release Form

TOPAZ Online Protocols

Investigators should first review the “Obtaining Approval” page for an overview of the approval process. Investigators should then proceed to review the “TOPAZ information” page, which includes information on training sessions, user guides, and other helpful information on accessing the TOPAZ system.

Investigators should send an email to topaz-help@fiu.edu. A response will normally be provided within 24 hours during the normal business hours of 9 AM – 5 PM, Monday-Friday. In rare cases, the response time might be 24-48 if there are a large number of inquiries.

Instructions for accessing the TOPAZ system can be found here:  https://research.fiu.edu/irb/topaz/#accessingsystem

If you already have a TOPAZ account and are having difficulties with logging in, then please contact topaz-help@fiu.edu

Individuals that are designated in the application as Co-Investigators will have the ability to “view and edit” the application.

Individuals that are designated in the application as Key Associates will only receive TOPAZ system email notices.

Make the file name sufficiently descriptive and clear. Avoid using certain special characters in a file name (& * ? < # : ) as they may cause problems and you most likely won't be able to save the document. A dash (-) or underscore (_) may be used. File names should use consistent date formatting. For example, a file modified on March 24, 2011 should include 24MAR2011 in the file name. Use version numbers to manage the revisions of attachments (e.g., V1, V2, V3) Consider including the document file name and version in small font in the footer of the document. If you do this, remember to update the footer each time the document is revised.

Please send an email address to topaz-help@fiu.edu along with your full name, your panther ID, your old email address, and your new email address. It is strongly advised to keep your email address in the TOPAZ system up to date to ensure you are receiving all applicable email notices from the TOPAZ system.

Please refer to the following web page for guidance on accessing the TOPAZ system: https://research.fiu.edu/irb/topaz/#systemrequirements

CITI Online Training

Completion of the NIH PHRP IRB Training Course no longer satisfies the FIU IRB Training requirement. The new CITI IRB Training requirement applies to all new IRB submissions received on or after January 2, 2013. It also applies when adding new personnel onto an active IRB-approved study. Investigators with active IRB protocols will need to ensure that all project personnel have satisfied this new IRB training requirement when submitting for their next IRB continuing review.

All key personnel are required to complete a CITI IRB Training Refresher Course every 3 years. The CITI system will send you a courtesy reminder notice via email in advance of your training’s expiration date.

It will likely take you between 2-4 hours to complete the training modules.

You do not need to complete the training in one sitting. You can start and stop at your own convenience.

You will need to score at least an 80% in order to pass the training course.

Yes, researchers accessing protected health information (PHI) will also be required to complete the CITI Health Information Privacy and Security (HIPS) Training.

Completion of the RCR Training Course from the CITI website does not satisfy the FIU IRB Training requirement. All investigators conducting research involving human subjects must complete the CITI IRB Training.

No, you will not receive IRB approval unless you have already completed the required IRB training.

Details for IRB educational training and instructions for accessing the CITI IRB Training are available from the IRB Training page.

Human Subjects Training is required for all persons participating in research at FIU who will be interacting with the human subjects including those who will be handling the data collected. Human Subjects Training is also required for all non-FIU researchers that are collaborating with FIU researchers in conducting research with human subjects.

Please visit the IRB Training web page for further guidelines on how to affiliate another institution with your CITI account.

Student Research

All classroom activities that involve “research” with “human subjects” require IRB approval. However, classroom activities that only involve “research training” are not subject to IRB approval because such studies are conducted specifically for educational purposes only (without publication or presentation of the data). It is always best to obtain IRB approval in advance if you think your project will produce data that you may one day wish to use for research purposes (e.g., you collect the data for educational purposes, but later wish to publish the information). Please note, the IRB is unable to provide retroactive approval, so it is always best to check with the IRB Coordinator if you are uncertain about the applicability of IRB review.

Students cannot serve as the Principal Investigator (PI).

Undergraduate/Graduate student research projects are required to have an FIU faculty member with Graduate Faculty Status or Dissertation Advisor Status (DAS) serving as the Principal Investigator.