Process for Research Ethics Review

Any research involving human participants that is conducted at Holland Bloorview or by persons connected to the hospital must be reviewed and approved by the Holland Bloorview Research Ethics Board (REB). 

Applications to the Holland Bloorview Research Ethics Board should identify a Bloorview Research Institute scientist, Clinical Team Investigator or Clinical Study Investigator as the Site Principal Investigator. Exceptions to this must be reviewed and approved by the Holland Bloorview VP Research/BRI Director before submitting a research ethics application.

Full Board Review

A full board review is the default requirement for all research reviewed at Holland Bloorview. The REB meets face-to-face to review research proposals. Investigators are invited to the meeting to summarize and respond to questions or concerns about their protocol, but are not be present during REB deliberations and decisions.

Delegated Review

Research that presents low risk of harm may be reviewed by the REB though a delegated review procedure. The decision to review a proposal via delegated review is at the discretion of the REB Chair. Proposals that receive a delegated review will be reviewed outside the REB meeting cycle.

Research that may be reviewed through a delegated review procedure includes research that presents no more than minimal risk to participants and requires no more than minor changes to approved research. Delegated review procedures may also be used for research that has received approval from another primary REB that adheres to the mandatory requirements of the TCPS2 or equivalent