About the Radford University IRB

Radford University is committed to protecting the rights of and ensuring the safety of human subjects participating in research conducted by faculty, staff and students of the University. This commitment is guided by the ethical principles described in the “Belmont Report” and in applicable federal regulations. For operational purposes, as required by federal law, this commitment is vested in the Institutional Review Board for Research Involving Human Subjects (the IRB) which operates under a Federalwide Assurance (FWA) on file with the Office for Human Research Protection (OHRP) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

RU's Federalwide Assurance Number is FWA00004850 and it expires 2/21/10

RU's IRB Registration Number is IRB00003066

RU's Reciprocity Agreement with Carilion is IRB00001142 and IRB00001190

To comply with the Code of Virginia § 32.1-162.19, Radford University reviews, in the same manner, all research involving human subjects conducted by its faculty, staff, and students.

The RU IRB is appointed by the Vice President for Research and Planning.  Members of the IRB serve a staggered 3 year term that is renewable upon the discretion of the Vice President of Research and Planning.

IRB review is not meant to impose judgment on the merits of individual research projects; the review is meant to assess any potential risks to human subjects as defined by the Office of Human Research Protection.  The RU IRB will make every attempt to streamline the approval process while still evaluating and ensuring the protection of human subjects involved in research.  Researchers are encouraged to contact the IRB Coordinator with any questions or concerns about the IRB review process.