University of Washington
Human Subjects Division

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH IRBs AT OTHER INSTITUTIONS

The University of Washington Human Subjects Division is the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of record for the following: all University of Washington agencies (e.g., schools, departments, programs, clinics, UW Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center), Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS--Seattle and American Lake), Boise VA, Seattle-King Country Department of Public Health, and the Puget Sound Blood Center.

To avoid duplication of effort, the UW has developed agreements with several local institutions whereby only one IRB review is necessary for collaborative research. In almost all cases the agreements are reciprocal; that is, the UW accepts another institution's IRB review and it accepts ours. The conditions of the agreements are summarized below. Researchers are encouraged to call the Human Subjects Division if they have questions about which institution is responsible for the review.

Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center (CHRMC)

Contact: Telephone (206) 526-2023, Elizabeth Trias, IRB Manager

Institutional Review Board

If Children's patients, facilities, or resources (including medical records) are involved in the research, IRB review must be conducted at CHRMC. The UW accepts CHRMC's review for research involving both institutions. CHRMC does not accept UW's review if the research involves Children's patients, facilities, or resources.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC)

Contact: Telephone (206) 667-4867, Karen Hansen, Director, Institutional Review

Institutional Review Office

Review is reciprocal and follows funding. If there is no funding, review follows the source of subjects.

Group Health Cooperative (GHC)

Contact: Telephone (206) 287-2919, Barbara E. Young, PhD, Manager, Research & Human Subjects Review

• UW provides the initial review of projects that involve a new funding proposal through the UW, even if all subjects will be GHC patients. If funding is awarded, review transfers to GHC.
• If a protocol involves only GHC patients, and if there is no proposed funding, Group Health is the reviewing institution.
• If a protocol involves both sites, and funding is administered through the UW, the UW provides human subjects review.

Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU)

Contact: Telephone: (503) 494-7887

OHSU Institutional Review Board

Review is reciprocal and follows funding.

Swedish Medical Center (Includes three campuses: First Hill, Ballard, and Providence)

Contact: Telephone (206) 215-2536

Review is reciprocal and follows funding. If there is no funding, review follows the source of subjects. However, student, epidemiological and psychosocial research must be reviewed by both institutions.

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS/DOH)

Contact: Telephone (360) 902-8075

Human Research Review web site

The DSHS/DOH Human Subjects Review Board reviews research activities that are: (a) sponsored by DSHS or DOH; (b) conducted by an employee or agent of DSHS or DOH; (c) which use any DSHS or DOH property or facility; or (d) which involve the use of DSHS or DOH non-public information to identify or contact human research subjects or prospective subjects.

Review is reciprocal, with review following funding AND source of subjects. If a University of Washington researcher submits new funding, the initial human subjects review would be submitted through the UW; if funding is awarded, review may transfer to DSHS/DOH.

General Information Archive
main Human Subjects Division page