Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) are responsible for reviewing and approving research with human subjects that is conducted by BU researchers. The purpose of an IRB is to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects and to assure that the research it approves is in accordance with ethical guidelines, federal regulations, state law, IRB policies and procedures, and best practices. BU researchers are responsible for carrying out the ethical conduct of research with human subjects in accordance with their approved protocols and the rules, regulations, and policies of the IRB.

Two IRBs review human subjects research across Boston University and Boston Medical Center: the Charles River Campus (CRC) IRB and on the BMC/BUMC IRB. The CRC IRB reviews research led by Charles River Campus investigators. The BMC/BUMC IRB reviews research on the BU Medical Campus and at Boston Medical Center. Both IRBs now share administrative oversight through BU’s Office of Research Compliance. A joint working group is exploring where alignment of policies, processes, or systems would benefit our shared research community, while preserving the distinct features of each program where appropriate.

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Alignment

A joint working group with representation from the CRC IRB, the BMC/BUMC IRB, and the BU Office of Research Compliance is exploring where alignment of policies, processes, or systems would benefit our shared research community.

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Multi-Campus Collaboration & Global IRB Reliance Agreements

 Does your multi-campus collaboration qualify under the global reliance agreements between the Charles River Campus, Boston Medical Center and Boston University Medical Campus? Use this interactive decision tree to find out.

Guidance and Forms for Investigators on the Charles River Campus

Huron Training & Updates Hub

The CRC IRB is implementing Huron modules to facilitate conducting human subjects research. All CRC human subjects research projects will be created, submitted, reviewed, and maintained on the Huron IRB module. Explore the implementation timeline and more details here on our Huron Training & Updates hub.

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Further Resources

For IRB Members
Guidelines and documents for reviewers. Kerberos log-in required.
BMC/BUMC IRB Office & Services
Learn about the Medical Campus IRB, our people, and the services we provide.
Charles River Campus IRB Office & Services
Learn about the CRC IRB, our people, and the services we provide.
Charles River Campus IRB Forms
Forms and paperwork you will need to conduct your study with human subjects.
Charles River Campus IRB Policies
Policies that govern studies with human subjects on the Charlies River Campus.
BU Resources for NIH Data Management & Sharing
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued its final NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing (DMS Policy) to promote the management and sharing of scientific data generated from NIH-funded or conducted research. The new policy applies to applications with receipt dates on/after January 25, 2023.
Reporting Incidents to the CRC IRB
Learn the incidents of which the IRB must be informed and how to make a report.
Quality Improvement and Post Approval Resources with the CRC IRB
To strengthen BU’s human research protection program, the Charles River Campus IRB office has established a Quality Assurance and Improvement (QA/QI) Program.

News & Updates

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Announcements

Global Reliance Agreements Established Between CRC, BMC, and BUMC

Boston University’s IRBs have put in place global reliance agreements to streamline multisite collaboration across the Charles River Campus (CRC), Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University Medical Campus (BUMC). These agreements: Automatically apply to qualifying minimal‑risk collaborative research Simplify and standardize the reliance process for faculty and staff working across the campuses Take effect […]
Announcements

New Streamlined Process for CRC Student Collaboration on BMC/BUMC Human Subjects Research

Boston University's Institutional Review Boards (IRB) announce a new, streamlined process for Charles River Campus (CRC) students collaborating on human subjects research at Boston University Medical Campus (BUMC) and/or Boston Medical Center (BMC). What's Changed Previously, each research study involving CRC students collaborating on a BMC/BUMC study required a reliance agreement between the CRC IRB […]

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