How long should an investigator allow for approval from the IRB?
Generally, once the signed paper copy of the application comes in for review, the time to distribute, review, and respond to the investigator is approximately three weeks for exempt and expedited reviews. This assumes all signatures and supporting documents are with the application. The timeframe for full reviews is similar from the date of the IRB meeting the application is reviewed. Although the Widener University IRB strives for an efficient response time, it would be prudent to allow 6-8 weeks for final approval of applications requiring revisions. This would permit the investigator time to respond to reviewers’ comments and/or acquire any necessary supporting documents to satisfy the requirements. Allowing adequate time for processing will ultimately minimize your stress level.
