IRB Meeting Dates & Deadlines

IRB submissions are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have a time-sensitive submission, please contact your IRB Review Specialist prior to submitting; the IRB will do their best to accommodate your request. Additionally, please inform the IRB of any deadlines or time constraints within the ESTR submission (via a Comment, cover letter, etc).

Expedited Review is performed when the human research poses no greater than minimal risk and the research procedures fit into one or more of the federally defined Expedited Review categories. Expedited Review is performed “in-house” by one or more designated reviewers on a rolling basis; review by the convened IRB is not required. Expedited continuing review applications should be submitted 21 days prior to the study’s expiration date. To find out whether your human research is eligible for expedited review, please contact your IRB Review Specialist.

Convened IRB or “Full Board” Review occurs monthly. The Office of Human Research Administration supports two IRB panels: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Faculty of Medicine. In general, investigators can expect to have the IRB associated with their primary appointment perform IRB review. Cross-panel review, however, may occur if the alternate IRB’s composition is better suited to review the proposed Human Research. Applications and related study materials must be submitted by the noted “Submission Deadline” for consideration at the corresponding meeting. Assignment to an agenda is not automatic and may vary depending on the quality and completeness of the submission, complexity of the project, required ancillary reviews, responsiveness of the PI to clarifications requested from the IRB review specialist, and attaining quorum at the monthly meeting.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
IRB Meeting Dates Submission Deadlines
March 1, 2023 February 8, 2023
April 5, 2023 March 15, 2023
May 3, 2023 April 12, 2023
June 7, 2023 May 17, 2023
July 12, 2023 June 21, 2023
August 2, 2023 July 12, 2023
September 6, 2023 August 16, 2023
October 4, 2023 September 13, 2023
November 1, 2023 October 11, 2023
December 6, 2023 November 15, 2023
Harvard Faculty of Medicine
IRB Meeting Dates Submission Deadlines
February 28, 2023 February 2, 2023
March 28, 2023 March 7, 2023
April 25, 2023 April 4, 2023
May 30, 2023 May 9, 2023
June 27, 2023 June 6, 2023
July 25, 2023 July, 4, 2023
August 29, 2023 August 8, 2023
September 26, 2023 September 5, 2023
October 31, 2023 October 10, 2023
November 14, 2023 October 24, 2023
December 12, 2023 November 21, 2023