The Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) announced changes to federal regulations that protect the rights and welfare of human research participants, known as the Common Rule. The Revised Common Rule (RCR) changes seek to modernize, strengthen and make more effective the federal policies for the protection of human research participants. The Common Rule revisions and general compliance became effective January 21, 2019. 

Common Rule changes included: 

• New Exemption and revised exemption categories
• Elimination of continuing review for certain minimal risk studies*
• Consent form changes (key information section added to the beginning of the consent, added statements regarding biospecimen use)
• Revisions of consent waiver information
• Posting of consents to a publicly available website
• Broad consent (WSU has opted not to implement broad consent)
• Single IRB review for multi-site research (effective Jan. 20, 2020) Cooperative Research Provision 

Guidance Tools

WSU's Institutional Review Board has reviewed applicable policies, procedures, and forms to comply with the revised Common Rule by the *effective date. WSU Education Guidance documents have been created to provide information regarding the revised common rule, see the following:

• Introduction to the Revised Common Rule Guidance 
• Required Elements of Informed Consent Guidance
• Key Information Guidance Tool
• Exempt Research Guidance Tool
• Benign Behavioral Interventions: Exempt Category Three Guidance Tool
• Waiver and Alteration of Informed Consent Guidance Tool
• Common Rule Agencies and Departments
• Cooperative Research Provision Guidance Tool & also review IRB Policy 4-17 External IRB & Reliance Agreements for Multi Site Research

OHRP's Revised Common Rule Q&As 

OHRP's The Revised Common Rule Cooperative Research Provision 45 CFR 46.114

Common Rule Implementation Process 

• NEW SUBMISSIONS: Any new research protocol/proposal submissions received on or after Jan. 14, 2019 will be reviewed under the Revised Common Rule (45 CFR 46) on or after Jan. 21, 2019.

Exempt Reviews  

At the forefront of the Common Rule changes are revisions to the exemption research categories, which includes:

• Revisions to Exempt Categories 1, 2, 4, and 5 
• New Category 3 for behavioral research: Benign Behavioral Interventions
• Limited IRB Review option for research meeting certain conditions within Exempt categories 2 and 3
• Biannual status update reports for all minimal risk research

Updated Policies

(release of documents pending)

• Updated Exempt Policy 
• Updated WSU Flexible Review and Oversight Policy
• Transition to the Revised Common Rule Policy

Please continue to monitor this website for additional information.

Information/Education on the revised Common Rule 

The Office of Human Research Protections has recently released a series of education videos about the Revised Common Rule. 

Video topics include: 

• What's new in the Informed Consent?
• When Does the Common Rule Apply? Review of the Basics Under the Revised Rule 
• Overview of Changes to Exemptions in the Revised Common Rule Exemptions 1, 2, 3, and 5
• Regulatory Options for Secondary Research with Private Information and Biospecimens 
• What's New in the IRB Review Under the Revised Common Rule 

CITI Training Module Available

WSU IRB Revised Common Rule (RCR) Training Sessions:

The IRB Administration Office is available to Revised Common Rule training upon request. 

For more information regarding the WSU IRB and the Revised Common Rule, please contact IRBQuestions@wayne.edu