How to Submit a Study for Review 

Institutional Review Board at the Minnesota Department of Health

You must complete an application for approval of research with human subjects and email it to the IRB at health.irb.mdh@state.mn.us. If you are unsure whether your study requires IRB review, you can find more information at Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

The IRB may take 7-14 days to process applications after receipt.

• Forms and Applications
• Contact MDH IRB staff

The application includes:

1. A detailed description of the study design and procedures as they affect human subjects
2. A list of precautions necessary to safeguard the welfare of subjects
3. A precise description of the subject population involved in the study
4. All consent forms to be used
5. Methods to be used to protect data confidentiality and subject privacy

All applications must be received by the board two full weeks prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting (second Wednesday of each month) to be considered at that meeting.

When the MDH IRB receives your application, it will first determine whether your study is research with human subjects. If your study is research with human subjects, the IRB will next determine the level of review required: full board, expedited, or exempt. If full board review is required, the IRB will assign a member as primary reviewer to review your application and give a brief report to the board concerning their findings.

If your study requires full board review, the principal investigator (PI) or a delegate is expected to be at the meeting to present a brief overview of the study and answer questions pertaining to it. The IRB will notify you of the date, time, and meeting location.

After expedited or full board review, your application will be assigned one of the following statuses:

1. Approved
2. Approved, pending stipulations
3. Disapproved

You will receive written notification of the application’s status. If your application’s approval has stipulations, you will receive a detailed description of these stipulations that must be addressed before approval can be granted.