Overview

Mission Statement

1. To conduct independent reviews of the ethical merits of research projects that involve human subjects or human tissues, proposed by academic NUS staff.

2. To approve all relevant projects, in accordance with the Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and Bioethics Advisory Committee (BAC) guidelines and the applicable laws and regulations in Singapore that govern or regulate research involving human subjects.

3. To monitor research projects, by way of regular reports, as determined by the NUS-IRB.

4. To submit an annual report, and such other reports, as may be called for by the President of NUS, or any other relevant authority.

Research studies that do not require ethic clearance from NUS-IRB include:

(i) studies involving only literature review or;
(ii) studies that do not recruit human participants, use human biological materials/human tissue or human data or;
(iii) studies that involve only animals.

For any doubts or queries, please contact NUS-IRB.

Types of Research Info-graph 15Sep21

In accordance to the University's guidelines, all NUS human subjects research studies must be reviewed by either the NUS Institutional Review Board (NUS-IRB) or the Department Ethics Review Committee (DERC).

The purposes of ethics review by the NUS-IRB and DERCs:-

to ensure the methods proposed for research are ethical for the protection of the rights, safety and welfare of human research participants.
to represent the interests of (protect) research participants by ensuring the project has purpose, is as safe as it can be and that any possible risk of harm is both minimized and managed.
to represent the interests of (protect) participants and public by ensuring the project has a clear question it proposes to answer, that the chosen method has a reasonable chance to do this and answers will be both meaningful and valid.
to ensure that anyone thinking of participating in a study is given a fair opportunity to accept or decline.
to ensure that the research complies with national legislation.

Definition of Minimal Risks

A risk is minimal where the probability and magnitude of harm or discomfort anticipated in the research are not greater, in and of themselves, than those ordinarily encountered in daily life or during the performance of routine physical or psychological examinations or tests.

For any queries, please contact NUS-IRB or DERC. Faculty and student SBER that qualifies for an Exemption that is of minimal risk may be reviewed and approved by a DERC. Excludes any HBR falling within section 3 of the HBRA.

What is a DERC?

A DERC is a committee formed at the school, faculty or department level to perform ethics review on research studies. Faculty research studies that qualify for an Exemption review and student research studies that qualify for an Exemption or Expedited review may be reviewed and approved by a DERC. DERC may refer the studies to the NUS-IRB for review where necessary.

For more info on DERC, click here

IRB - Institutional Review Board
PI - Principal Investigator

Service Quality Timelines:

Applications for ethics review are processed in the order of receipt. We strive to initiate the processing of applications within the following timelines, based on the type of review required:

For new applications:

1. Full Review: Applications submitted by the first working day of the month will be processed within the same month.

2. Expedited Review: Applications will be processed within 7 weeks of receipt.

3. Exemption Review: Applications will be processed within 2 weeks of receipt.

For modification applications:

1. Full Review: Applications submitted by the first working day of the month will be processed within the same month.

2. Exemption / Expedited Review: Applications will be processed within 3 weeks of receipt

3. Administrative Review: Applications will be processed within 7 working days of receipt

Please note that processing times may vary based on staff availability and the volume of applications received. We are dedicated to upholding high standards of service quality and appreciate your understanding and patience.

To ensure a swift and efficient review process, please submit applications that are complete, accurate, sufficiently detailed and with no discrepancy in study documents. This enables us to expedite the review process and provide you with feedback as quickly as possible.

Research Ethics Consultation Services:

NUS-IRB offers personalized research ethics consultations to support researchers in conducting responsible studies. If you need assistance with your Institutional Review Board (IRB) application or have questions about research ethics, we are here to help.

Schedule a Clinic Session
Book a session with our analysts for tailored guidance through the IRB application process.

Contact Us
To arrange a session, please email us at irb@nus.edu.sg. We look forward to assisting you with your research ethics needs.

For any queries, please contact NUS-IRB or DERC

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Overview

Mission Statement

Definition of Minimal Risks

What is a DERC?