Do I need IRB approval for research with cadaver specimens or data about deceased persons?
Under federal law, research involving deceased persons generally is not human subjects research and does not require review by the UCSC IRB. However, there are three exceptions. (1) If the data or samples contain personal identifiers, the research is subject to HIPAA. In this case, IRB approval of the research is required, but the the requirement to obtain a HIPAA authorization from each subject is automatically waived. (2) IRB approval is needed if the information collected from a cadavers will result in an investigator obtaining information about the cadaver’s living relatives (e.g., genetic studies). Activities in which a researcher collects private, identifiable information about third parties would meet the definition of human subjects research. (3) IRB approval is needed for some research using State of California produced death data files. Do I need IRB approval for research using State of California death data files? Effective January 1, 2003, California law requires local IRBs
