The Office of Human Research Ethics has updated a series of forms within WREM, which will become active on December 11, 2017. They include Health Sciences Research Ethics Board (REB) and Non-Medical REB initial and amendment forms, continuing ethics review and study closure forms.
When you log in to WREM you will notice the following message appear in the Work Area at the top of your screen: “Warning: The project owner must update your project in order to submit this form.”
The message appears only when there has been an update to the application form(s). The form owner will need to accept the update prior to a) submitting an application and/or b) completing an application you have been working on when the message appeared.
Are there any implications to updating the form(s)?
Consider these three scenarios:
1) The form has not been submitted, and is still unlocked – Updating the project will have no effect, except any changes in the form you are completing will be updated.
2) The form has not been submitted, but the form has been locked (either by a signature request, or by a signature being completed) – Updating the project will break these signatures or signature requests. Any requests will need to be remade, and any existing signatures will need to be re-given, because they will have been applied to an old version of the form.
3) The form has been signed and submitted – Updating the project will have no effect on any submitted forms.
What updates have been done?
1. The most important update is the PI can delegate a study team member to submit a re-submission (i.e., response to REB recommendations). The PI must still submit all initial application forms, but may choose to sign-off electronically on all re-submissions or may delegate this task to another qualified individual. NOTE: The PI is still fully responsible for the study’s scientific and ethical conduct. The REB recommends keeping a log of to whom the PI has delegated authority to submit re-submission forms.
2. Administrative updates (i.e., revising, addition and removal of questions, addition of help text, etc.)
To access WREM training material and FAQs please visit the website and WREM (click Western University’s REB to access the WREM site).
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to any member of the Research Ethics team.
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