Gul ance  or  n ustr
d f I d y 
*
Using a Centralized IRB Review 
Process in Multicenter Clinical Trials 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
Food and Drug Administration 
Good Clinical Practice Program, Office of the Commissioner (OC) 
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) 
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) 
Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) 
March 2006 
Procedural 
02,5b 5b - c /o a 
AbL'A  ui ance  or  n ust
d f I d ry 
G
Using a Centralized IRB Review 
Process in Multicenter Clinical Trials 
Additional copies are available from: 
Office of Training and Communication 
Division ofDnrg Information, HFD-240 
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research 
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(Tel) 301-827-4573 
http:/ /wivw,fda.gov/cder/gu idance/index. h tm 
and/or- 
Office of Communication, Training and 
Manufacturers Assistance, HFM-40 
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research 
Food and Drug Administration 
1401 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852-1448 
http:/ /w~wtiv.fda.gov/cber/guidelines. him. 
(Tel) 800-835-4709 or 30]-827-1800 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
Food and Drug Administration 
Good Clinical Practice Program, Office of the Commissioner (OC) 
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) 
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) 
Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) 
March 2006 
Procedural  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
I.  INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1 
11.  BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................... 2 
[II.  ROLES IN ENSURING IRB REVIEW.......................................................................... 3 
A.  Institution .......................................................................................................................................3 
B.  Institution's IRB.............................................................................................................................3 
C.  Sponsor ...........................................................................................................................................3 
D.  Investigator..................................................................................................................................... 4 
E.  Central IRB .................................................................................................................................... 4 
IV.  ADDRESSING LOCAL ASPECTS OF IRB REVIEW................................................ 4 
V.  IRB RECORDS - DOCUMENTING AGREEMENTS AND PROCEDURES........ 5 
A.  Documenting Agreements ............................................................................................................. 5 
B.  Written Procedures ........................................................................................................................ 6 
VI.  USING A CENTRAL IRB AT UNAFFILIATED SITES............................................. 6 
VII.  EXAMPLES OF COOPERATIVE IRB REVIEW MODELS ..................................... 7 
A.  Trial in Which Multiple Sites Rely on a Central IRB ................................................................7 
B.  Central IRB Formed to Review Multicenter Trials in a Therapeutic Category ... .................. 7 
C.  Regional and Nonregional Cooperatives......................................................................................7 
VIII.  CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................. 7  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
Guidance for Industry' 
Using a Centralized IRB Review Process 
in Multicenter Clinical Trials 
This guidance represents the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) current thinking on this topic.  It 
does not create or confer any rights for or on any person and does not operate to bind FDA or the public. 
You can use an alternative approach if the approach satisfies the requirements of the applicable statutes 
and regulations.  If you want to discuss an alternative approach, contact the FDA staff responsible for 
implementing this guidance.  If you cannot identify the appropriate FDA staff, call the appropriate 
number listed on the title page of this guidance. 
1.  INTRODUCTION 
This guidance is intended to assist sponsors, institutions, institutional review boards (IRBs), and 
clinical investigators involved in multicenter clinical research in meeting the requirements of 21 
CFR part 56 by facilitating the use of a centralized IRB review process (use of a single central 
IRB ), especially in situations where centralized review could improve efficiency of IRB review. 
The guidance (1) describes the roles of the participants in a centralized IRB review process, (2) 
offers guidance on how a centralized IRB review process might consider the concerns and 
attitudes of the various communities participating in a multicenter clinical trial, (3) makes 
recommendations about documenting agreements between a central IRB and the IRBs at 
institutions involved in the centralized IRB review process concerning the respective 
responsibilities of the central IRB and each institution's IRB, (4) recommends that IRBs have 
procedures for implementing a centralized review process, and (5) makes recommendations for a 
central IRB's documentation of its reviews of studies at clinical trial sites not affiliated with an 
IRB.  This guidance applies to clinical investigations conducted under 21 CFR part 312 
(investig,ational new drug application, or IND regulations). 
FDA's guidance documents, including this guidance, do not establish legally enforceable 
responsibilities.  Instead, guidances describe the Agency's current thinking on a topic and should 
be viewed only as recommendations, unless specific regulatory or statutory requirements are 
cited.  The use of the word should in Agency guidances means that something is suggested or 
recommended, but not required. 
' This guidance has been prepared by the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), the Center for 
Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), the Good Clinical Practice Program in the Office of the Commissioner 
(OC), and the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) at the Food and Drug Administration.  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
[I.  BACKGROUND 
Clinical investigations that are subject to the requirements of IND regulations must be reviewed 
and approved by an IRB in accordance with the requirements of 21 CFR part 56.  The IRB 
requirements evolved at a time when most clinical trials were conducted at a single study site or 
at a small number of sites.  In the intervening years, there has been substantial growth in the 
amount of clinical research generally, the number of multicenter trials, and the size and 
complexity of late-stage clinical trials.  These changes have placed considerable burdens on IRBs 
2, 3 
and on sponsors and clinical investigators who are seeking IRB review for multicenter trials. 
For example, sometimes the IRB at each center of a multicenter trial conducts a complete review 
of the protocol and informed consent.  Such multiple reviews by multiple IRBs can result in 
unnecessary duplication of effort, delays, and increased expenses in the conduct of multicenter 
4, 5,6 
clinical trials.  Greater reliance on a centralized IRB review process, in appropriate 
circumstances, could reduce IRB burdens and delays in the conduct of multicenter trials. 
Use of a centralized IRB review process is consistent with the requirements of existing IRB 
regulations.  Section 56.114 (21 CFR 56.114, Cooperative Research) provides that, "institutions 
involved in multi-institutional studies may use joint review, reliance upon the review of another 
qualified IRB, or similar arrangements aimed at avoidance of duplication of effort."  When this 
rule was proposed, the preamble to the proposed rule indicated that the purpose of this section is 
.,,7 
"to explicitly reduce duplicative review of multi-institutional studies  The preamble to the 
final rule also stated that "the purpose of this section is to assure IRBs that FDA will accept 
reasonable methods of joint review."R  An IRB that is at a different location from the research 
site can review the research, provided that the IRB is competent to understand the local context 
of the research.  As stated in 21 CFR 56.107(a), this would require sensitivity to community 
attitudes and the ability to ascertain the acceptability of proposed research in terms of 
institutional commitments and regulations, applicable law, and standards of professional conduct 
and practice (see Section IV). 
- Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Office of the Inspector General Report, Institutional Review 
Boards: A Time for ReJorm, June 1998. 
; Burman WE, RR Randall, DL Cohn, RT Schooley, Breaking the Camel's Back: Multicenter clinical trials and the 
local institutional review boards, Ann Intern Med, 134(2):  152-157, 2001. 
4 
Burman W, P Breese, S Weis, N Bock, J Bernardo, A Vernon, The Effects of local review on informed consent 
documents;  from a multicenter clinical trials consortium, Controlled Clin Trials, 24(2003) 245-255. 
' Silverman H, S Chandros Hull, J Sugarman, Variability among institutional review boards' decisions within the 
context of a multicenter trial, Crit Care Med 29(2), 235-241, 2001. 
" MeWilliams R, J I-loover-Fong, A Hamosh, S Beck, T Beatty, G Cutting, Problematic Variation in Local 
Institutional Review of a Multicenter Genetic Epidemiology Study, JAMA, 290(3), 360-361, 2003. 
' Federal Register, Vol. 40, pp. 47688, 47700, August 14, 1979. 
8 
Federcll,Rc"gister, Vol. 46, pp.  8958, 8970, January 27, 1981 .  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
A centralized IRB review process involves an agreement under which multiple study sites in a 
multiceriter trial rely in whole or in part on the review of an IRB other than the IRB affiliated 
with the research site.  Because the goal of the centralized process is to increase efficiency and 
decrease duplicative efforts that do not contribute to meaningful human subject protection, it will 
usually be preferable that a central IRB take responsibility for all aspects of IRB review at each 
site partfcipating in the centralized review process.  Other approaches may be appropriate as 
well.  For example, an institution may permit a central IRB to be entirely responsible for initial 
and continuing review of a study, or apportion IRB review responsibilities between the central 
( RB and its own IRB. 
III.  ROLES IN ENSURING IRB REVIEW 
'The following sections describe the roles and responsibilities of the principal parties as they 
relate to a centralized IRB review process. 
.  Institution 
Under 21 CFR 56.114, institutions that participate in multicenter studies can use joint review, 
rely on the review of another qualified IRB, or establish other arrangements aimed at reducing 
duplicative efforts.  For example, the decision could be made in a multicenter trial to rely 
primarilY on the review of a central IRB while establishing an agreement that all site-specific 
IRBs will review their informed consent documents for local concerns.  Institutions should 
develop policies for determining when and which studies conducted in the institution would be 
appropriate for centralized review and how a centralized review would be conducted for such 
studies. 
ft.  Institution's IRB 
An institution's .IRB is the IRB designated or formed by an institution for the purpose of 
reviewing research conducted at the institution or with institutional support.  For multicenter 
studies, an institution's IRB can serve as a central IRB;  an institution's IRB can rely on the 
review of a centralized IRB (in whole or in part) in place of its own IRB review of the study; or 
it can conduct its own review of the study.  The institution's policies will dictate under what 
circumstances the institution's IRB can participate in a centralized review process and the role of 
the institution's IRB in that process. 
('.  Sponsor 
For studies conducted under an IND, 21 CFR part 312 provides that a sponsor is responsible for 
obtaining a commitment from each investigator that he or she will ensure that requirements in 
part 56 relating to IRB review and approval are met with respect to the research conducted by the 
investigator (21 CFR 312.53(c)( l )(vi)(d)).  Sponsors can also initiate plans for use of a 
centralized IRB review process and facilitate agreements and other necessary communications 
among the parties involved.  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
D.  Investigator 
Under 21 CFR part 312, an investigator is responsible for ensuring that there will be initial and 
continuing review by a qualified IRB of research conducted by that investigator (21 CFR 
312.53(c)(1)(vi)(d); 312.66).  If the investigator is conducting clinical research as part of a 
multiceriter study at an institution with its own IRB and is subject to the policies of that 
institution, those policies would dictate how the investigator will ensure IRB review.  Those 
policies may provide that the investigator's responsibility can be met by ensuring review through 
a centralized IRB review, through the institution's IRB, or through apportionment of IRB review 
responsibilities between a centralized IRB and the institution's IRB. 
E.  Central IRB 
For multicenter studies, the central IRB is the IRB that conducts reviews on behalf of all study 
sites that agree to participate in the centralized review process.  For sites at institutions that have 
an IRB that would ordinarily review research conducted at the site, the central IRB should reach 
agreement with the individual institutions participating in centralized review and those 
institutions' IRBs about how to apportion the review responsibilities between local IRBs and the 
central IRB (21 CFR 56.114). 
IV.  ~MDRESSING LOCAL ASPECTS OF IRB REVIEW 
The implementation of a centralized IRB review process involves addressing a number of issues 
related to the communities where the research will take place. The requirements for IRB 
membership in 21 CFR 56.107(a) specify that the membership of an IRB must have sufficient 
experience, expertise, and diversity to promote respect for its advice and counsel in safeguarding 
the rights and welfare of human subjects.  This requirement was intended to implement a 
recommendation of the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of 
Biomedical and Behavioral Research that IRB members be "men and women of diverse 
backgrounds and sufficient maturity, experience, and competence to assure that the Board will be 
able to discharge its responsibilities and that its determinations will be accorded respect by 
investigators and the community served by the institution or in which it is located."  In addition, 
IRB members must "be able to ascertain the acceptability of the proposed research in terms of 
institutional commitments and regulations, applicable law, and standards or professional conduct 
and practice" (21 CFR 56.107(a)).  Thus, IRB review, through its membership, is intended to 
provide meaningful consideration of various local factors in assessing research activities, 
including the cultural backgrounds (e.g., ethnicity, educational level, religious affiliations) of the 
population from which research subjects will be drawn, community attitudes") about the nature 
`' Federal Register, Vol. 44, p. 47699, August 14, 1979, and Federal Register, Vol. 43, p. 56174, November 30, 
1978. 
" Commianiry attitudes is usually interpreted to refer to the attitudes of the local community where research will be 
conducted.  However, it could also refer to a community of other individuals, such as a community of individuals 
with the same disease.  For purposes of a discussion of special issues that arise in the context of central IRB review 
of multicenter research, when we refer to communitn attitudes, we are referring to any considerations that may be 
unique to the various communities from which research subjects will be drawn.  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
of the proposed research, and the capacity of the institution to conduct or support the proposed 
research.  Inter-community differences could influence, among other things, assessments of 
whether mechanisms of subject selection will be equitable, whether adequate provision is made 
to minimize risks to vulnerable populations, and the adequacy of the informed consent process. 
The preamble to the final rule indicates that where a centralized IRB review process is used (21 
CFR 56.1 14), the review should consider the ethical standards of the local community." 
'Therefore, a centralized IRB review process should include mechanisms to ensure meaningful 
consideration of these relevant local factors.  Possible mechanisms include: 
"  Provision of relevant local information to the central IRB in writing by individuals or 
organizations familiar with the local community, institution, and/or clinical research 
"  Participation of consultants with relevant expertise, or IRB members from the 
institution's own IRB, in the deliberations of the central IRB 
Limited review of a central IRB-reviewed study by the institution's own IRB, with that 
Limited review focusing on issues that are of concern to the local community 
Other mechanisms may also be appropriate.' 2 IRB meeting minutes or other records should 
document how relevant community issues were considered in the review (21 CFR 56.115(a)) 
(see section V). 
V.  IRB RECORDS - DOCUMENTING AGREEMENTS AND PROCEDURES 
IRBs and institutions are required to prepare and maintain adequate documentation of IRB 
activities (21 CFR 56.115(a)). IRBs are also required to follow written procedures for the 
conduct of initial and continuing review of clinical research and for reporting their findings and 
actions to the investigator and the institution (21 CFR section 56.108(a), 56.115(a)(6)).  The 
following recommendations should help IRBs fulfill these requirements. 
AL.  Documenting Agreements 
If an institution, its IRB, and a central IRB agree (under 21 CFR 56.114) to participate in a 
centralized IRB review process, they should document that action in an agreement signed by the 
parties.  IRBs should report this action to the investigator and the institution, for example, by 
providin;g copies of the agreement to the investigator, and the institution.' 3  If the agreement 
1' Federal Register, Vol. 46, p. 8966, January 27, 1981 
1' Guidance issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Human Research Protections 
(OHRP) (IRB Knowledge ofLoca! Research Context) discusses mechanisms for ensuring adequate consideration of 
local factors by 1RBs in review of clinical research that is supported by DHHS funding.  Although the guidance 
applies only to DHI3S funded research, it may be also helpful to off-site IRBs seeking to provide meaningful 
consideration of relevant local factors for non-DHHS funded clinical research. 
' ` When research covered by a Federal wide assurance (FWA) approved by the Office for Human Research 
Protections (OHRP) is to be reviewed by a central IRB, the central IRB must be designated under the FWA (45 CFR  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
apportions IRB review responsibilities between a central IRB and the institution's IRB, the 
agreement should delineate the specific responsibilities of the central IRB and the institution's 
IRB for the initial and continuing review of the study. 
13.  Written Procedures 
When an institution and an institution's IRB rely on review by a central IRB, both IRBs must 
have wriitten procedures in place to implement the centralized IRB review process (21 CFR 
56.108, 56.1 14). For example, procedures should address the following: 
"  How the institution's IRB determines that the central IRB is qualified to review research 
conducted at the institution 
"  How the central IRB intends to communicate with relevant institutions, the institutions' 
IRBs, and investigators regarding its review 
"  How the central IRB ensures that it provides meaningful consideration of relevant local 
factors for communities from which research subjects will be drawn (see Section IV) 
"  How the central IRB assesses the ability of a geographically remote site to participate in a 
study (e.g., whether the site has medical services appropriate to the complexity of the 
study) 
When an institution, an institution's IRB, and a central IRB agree to apportion IRB review 
responsibilities between the two IRBs, each IRB must have written procedures describing how it 
implements its responsibilities under the agreement (21 CFR 56.108, 56.115(a)(6)). 
VI.  USING A CENTRAL IRB AT UNAFFILIATED SITES 
At clinical sites that are not already affiliated with an IRB, investigators and sponsors typically 
rely on the review and oversight of a central IRB.  In this situation, the central IRB should 
document in meeting minutes or other records how it considered relevant local factors for the 
various communities from which research subjects are to be drawn (see Section N).  The central 
IRB must also document its action in agreeing to conduct IRB review for the site (21 CFR 
56.115) ,and must have written procedures in place that describe how it will perform its initial 
and continuing review responsibilities at remote sites (21 CFR 56.108, 56.115(a)(6)) 
(see Section V). 
46.103(b)(2)).  Procedures for respective responsibilities for IRB review activities must be documented (45 CFR 
46.103(b)(4)).  OHRP has a sample IRB Authorization Agreement on its Website at 
www.hhs.;;ov/ohrpihumansubjects/assurance/iprotsup.rtf that may be useful to allocate responsibilities between 
IRBs, or the institutions may develop their own agreement.  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
VII.  EXAMPLES OF COOPERATIVE IRB REVIEW MODELS 
There are a variety of mechanisms that have been used to distribute IRB review responsibilities 
between an institution's IRB and a central IRB.  This guidance is not intended to endorse any 
particular mechanism.  These examples are provided only to illustrate possible mechanisms. 
Trial in Which Multiple Sites Rely on a Central IRB 
The primary model contemplated by this guidance is a centralized IRB review process used for a 
single multicenter trial performed by a commercial or publicly funded sponsor.  Under 21 CFR 
56.114, ][RBs affiliated with the study sites could enter into agreements with a central IRB to rely 
on all or some of the review findings of the central IRB, or could decline to participate in a 
centralized IRB review (i.e., do their own complete review).  Study sites not already affiliated 
with an IRB would rely on a central IRB for all IRB review responsibilities. 
Et.  Central IRB Formed to Review Multicenter Trials in a Therapeutic Category 
A central IRB can be formed to review multicenter trials in a therapeutic category.  For example, 
the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has created a freestanding central IRB (NCI central IRB) to 
provide the option for centralized IRB review for the many multicenter cancer trials conducted 
by NCI.  This NCI central IRB is a standing body with subject matter expertise that reviews all 
NCI-sponsored phase 3 trials in adults with cancer.  The IRBs affiliated with the study sites have 
the option of accepting the review of the NCI central IRB, or doing their own complete review of 
the protocol and informed consent. 14 
C.  Regional and Nonregional Cooperatives 
IRBs at some academic medical centers have entered into ongoing cooperative agreements in 
which their IRBs have the option of accepting reviews by IRBs at other centers when both 
centers are participating in a multicenter trial. 
VIII.  CONCLUSION 
The Agency hopes that sponsors, institutions, institutional review boards (IRBs), and clinical 
investigators involved in multicenter clinical research will consider the use of a single central 
IRB (centralized IRB review process), especially if using centralized review could improve the 
efficienc,y of IRB review. 
"~~  See http://www.ncicirb.arg/Div Responsibilitiesl .pdf.