IRB oversight is required for UW-Madison or any other sites when they are determined to be engaged in human research per federal guidance and HRP-311-WORKSHEET-Engagement Determination. Assessing whether your study activities and/or those of any collaborators or external sites constitute engagement in human research can be challenging. We encourage you to contact RELIANT (irbreliance@wisc.edu) for assistance in determining whether UW-Madison and/or any external sites are engaged in human research before considering any sIRB arrangements.

Please keep in mind that interpretations of engagement guidance can vary across institutions. While RELIANT can assist you in making preliminary engagement determinations for sites or individuals not associated with an IRB, sites with an IRB will need to consult with their own IRB to determine whether they are engaged in human research.