Occasionally an sIRB or Study Manager adds a site to their study that does not yet exist in IREx (i.e., the site does not pop-up when typing their name). The FWA number will be required to add this site to IREx, as this information helps ensure the institution has an active FWA, which is the minimum standard for participating. A link to the OHRP FWA database is provided for reference.
Category Archives: Edit Participating Sites
Updated Feature: Participating Sites Dialog distinguishes whether site has joined IREx.
In order to help sIRBs and Study Managers know they need to request a site join IREx before the site can provide reliance and local review documentation in IREx, the Participating Sites dialog will now include the following text for sites that have not signed the IREx Terms of Use:
Let this site know their HRPP/IRB needs to initiate IREx access for their site here.
New Feature: Tracking Combo Sites Now Supported in IREx
Combo Sites, defined as one study team engaging multiple FWAs for the same study, are now supported on IREx. In the past, SIRBs and Study Managers had no way to group sites together to ensure all documentation was in place before review. Moreover, relying sites had to duplicate information (e.g., PI Survey). Now, Combo Sites are marked with a blue link icon throughout IREx and have several features to ensure reliance documentation is completed by each FWA in the most streamlined way possible. For more information, please visit our resources page, organized by role on our menu toolbar and watch our Combo Site trailer on YouTube.
Updated Feature: Study Registration Redesigned and Questions Added for Participating Sites
TThe Study Registration page has been updated to give Participating Site HRPPs control of how their site is listed on a study. The new registration page allows the HRPP Liaison to confirm the site and PI listed, change the PI for your site, indicate that a different site is engaged by the PI, add additional FWAs for a single study team (“Combo Site”), or decline engagement in a study. Please visit our YouTube channel to watch a video on the new Study Registration process. Please visit our YouTube channel to watch a video on the new Study Registration process.
Updated Feature: Redesigned Participating Sites Dialog for Study Managers and sIRBs
The Participating Sites Dialog, used by the SIRB or Study Manager to add participating sites to a study, has a new intuitive design. Here, a site can be added with the PI and/or Coordinator information. If the PI or coordinator is an existing IREx user, their information will be auto-filled. You can also add additional FWAs if one study team engages multiple FWAs (“Combo Site”). Please watch our 3-minute YouTube video to learn more about adding sites to a study.
Updated Feature: Single Entry of Team Personnel Added by Study Manager
The site contacts (e.g., PI or Coordinator) listed by the Study Manager will auto-fill as members of the study team when the Participating Site HRPP registers for a study. This allows the HRPP Liaison to confirm existing contacts, rather than having to re-enter the contact information. After the HRPP liaison has registered and confirmed the contacts, they receive access to IREx and the study. After a site has registered, the PI and Coordinator information is locked to the Study Managers, so the site edits personnel if needed.
New Feature: Email Notifications for Updated Approvals
A new email notification is now sent when any existing approval – for the overall study or a participating site – is updated. For example, if additional documents are uploaded or exchanged, an email will notify the relying site’s HRPP and study team personnel of the revisions and the exact changes are detailed in a table. The notification will bring clarity to the email notifications and ensure sites are aware of updates or changes to their approval, as specified in section 5.9 of the SMART IRB Agreement, “Notification of IRB Decisions, Changes, Lapses in Approval.”
Update: Verifying the Participating Site Contact List Document
To help Participating Sites identify their site PI, IREx has updated the Edit Participating Sites window to require the Reviewing IRB or Coordinating Center / Lead Study Team to upload an updated participating site contact list document whenever a new site is added.
System Enhancements – March 3, 3017
Enhanced: Reviewing IRB Liaisons and IREx Study Managers can list individual Participating Sites on a study in IREx without creating a network or consortium.
Add New Sites not in IREx
Reviewing IRB Liaisons can use the Add a Site button on the Edit Participating Sites window to list additional sites on their studies in IREx. Reviewing IRB Liaisons can also type in the institution name if they are not already listed in IREx and the IREx team will add the institution as a site to IREx (note: the site must still be onboarded to get access to IREx).