Rockhurst University - Institutional Review Board

Overview

The Rockhurst Institutional Review Board (IRB) aims to:

• Protect the rights, well-being, and personal privacy of individuals serving as subjects in all Rockhurst University research studies
• Assure a favorable climate for the conduct of scientific inquiry
• Protect the interests of Rockhurst University
• Ensure compliance with federal regulations.

Rockhurst University seeks to uphold the ethical principles set forth in the Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research (“the Belmont Report”) and to abide by all requirements of the applicable federal regulations, state and local laws and regulations, including:

• The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) policy and regulations at 45 CFR Part 46, also known as the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects or the “Common Rule”
• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations at 21 CFR Parts 51 and 56
• The Department of Veterans Affairs policies for Human Subjects Research protection, including the regulations at 38 CFR Part 16 and the VHA Handbook Section 1200.05
• For projects subject to a DOD Addendum, any DOD Requirements, including under 32 CFR Part 219 and DOD Directive 3216.02 regarding the Protection of Human Subjects and Adherence to Ethical Standards in DOD-Supported Research.

Rockhurst University has charged the IRB with carrying out all responsibilities of a duly constituted IRB as set forth in the IRB policies and procedures (available on the Rockhurst Intranet – IRB site).  The IRB establishes a formal process to monitor, evaluate and continually improve the protection of human research participants.  The IRB also works to educate investigators and research staff about their ethical responsibility to protect research participants, and when appropriate, intervene in research and/or respond directly to concerns of research participants.

Information for Researchers External to Rockhurst University

The IRB shall serve as a point of contact for non-Rockhurst researchers conducting Research impacting Rockhurst University community, including faculty, staff and students.  Non-Rockhurst researchers engaged in such research are required to present approval documentation from another institution’s IRB prior to engaging in research impacting the Rockhurst community.  Non-Rockhurst researchers are encouraged to contact the IRB chair with any questions in advance of undertaking any research and at any time questions arise.  In the event the IRB has concerns relating to research conducted by non-Rockhurst researchers as it may impact the Rockhurst University community, the IRB Chair will report those concerns to the Vice President for Academic Affairs as soon as practicable.

Contact Information

For any questions related to the Rockhurst University IRB, please contact: