Category Archives: Edit Participating Sites

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.”

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).