An updated IRB Policy 3.3, Reviewer and Consultant Conflict of Interest, is now available on the IRB’s website.
The revisions add another criterion to the definition of a financial conflict (the addition of a financial relationship for which a reviewer is on a management plan); highlights’ reviewers responsibilities to notify the IRB office or chair when they notice a conflict; and makes some formatting changes. We encourage everyone to review the new policy; IRB members, so they understand what’s expected of them when they perceive a conflict with something on an agenda, and study teams, so they get an idea of the steps the IRB takes to avoid potentially biased reviews.