Ceding Oversight to Another IRB

  1. Institutional Review Board and Office of Research Oversight
  2. Guidance & FAQ
  3. Ceding Oversight to Another IRB Ethics Board

SU affiliates who collaborate with researchers at other institutions may request that the SU IRB cede oversight to another institution. This is particularly common when the PI for a project is affiliated with another institution. Sometimes, this is called a Reliance Agreement.

No SU affiliate may engage in any aspect of a collaborative study until receiving written documentation from the SU IRB regarding ceding oversight. Plan timelines accordingly. When planning collaborative research with individuals at other institutions or if required to go through another IRB, always consult with the SU IRB early in the process.

For some programs -- such as many of those in the College of Nursing -- researchers must go through a separate IRB (such as with Swedish/Providence, etc.) and in those cases, the SU IRB Office will consider ceding oversight even when the SU affiliate is the sole investigator.

The SU IRB does not have a separate form for ceding oversight. To initiate the process, please submit the following to irb@seattleu.edu

  • As an attachment: the complete approved final protocol application to the other IRB office.
  • As an attachment: the institutional approval or determination letter produced by the other IRB office.
  • As an attachment: any accompanying site permission letters (if applicable).
  • Indicate in the email body why you are asking the SU IRB to cede oversight to this particular institution.
  • If asked by the other institutional IRB office staff, cc them on the email.

Our SU IRB review process will determine whether the approved protocol meets our institutional policies and human subjects protections criteria. If so, the SU IRB will formally cede oversight to the approving institution, and the SU affiliate will not need to go through further SU IRB review for this research protocol.

However, because different institutions may have different thresholds or criteria for review levels, a protocol determined as Exempt by one institution may require a higher review level at another (or vice versa). In some cases, the SU IRB may require the SU affiliate to submit the protocol as an independent submission to the SU IRB.