Metrics for Western's Research Ethics Boards

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Western’s Research Ethics Boards (REBs) – the Health Sciences Research Ethics Board (HSREB) and the Non-Medical Research Ethics Board (NMREB) – and the human research ethics team provide service to the university and local hospitals. These metrics allow us to target education to increase the quality of submissions, recruit reviewers from underrepresented departments and look at internal administrative processes for quality improvement and resource allocation. 


In 2023

How many applications did Western's REBs process?

Initial Applications

1105

Continuing Ethics Reviews

3053


Amendments

2007

Reportable
Events

356

Average response times

The following data reflects the average workdays for the Health Sciences and Non Medical REBs to issue recommendations and the average researcher response times

HSREB Recommendations
8 days
Researcher Response
18 days
 
NMREB Recommendations
12 days
Researcher Response
12 days
 

Did Western’s REBs meet their posted initial review timelines?

HSREB

Posted
3–4 weeks
Achieved
91%
Average
12 days

 
 
 

NMREB

Posted
3–4 weeks
Achieved
42%*
Average
21 days

*Due to a staffing shortage, the timeline was revised to 6 weeks mid-year and achieved 80%

 

How long did approval take?


HSREB Approvals
(delegated)

 

  • 20%  
  • 53%  
  • 14%  
  • 13%  
 

 


HSREB Approvals
(full board)

  • 6%  
  • 59%  
  • 23%  
  • 13%  
 

 


NMREB Approvals
(delegated and full board)

 

  • 10%  
  • 62%  
  • 22%  
  • 6%  
 

 

What were some common reasons for longer review times?

  • Staffing shortages
  • Initial applications incomplete when submitted (e.g., missing documents, missing information, incorrect signatories)
  • Research plan misaligned with institutional policies/procedures.
  • Inconsistencies within the application
  • Logistics not fully conceptualized (insufficient detail about each of the research activities to allow 3rd party replication)
  • Multi-site studies where the local research procedures were not defined
  • Student applications with insufficient PI oversight

2022

In 2022

How many applications did Western's REBs process?

Initial Applications

1127

Continuing Ethics Reviews

2836


Amendments

1998

Reportable
Events

471

Average response times

The following data reflects the average workdays for the Health Sciences and Non Medical REBs to issue recommendations and the average researcher response times

HSREB Recommendations
11 days
Researcher Response
15 days
 
NMREB Recommendations
14 days
Researcher Response
13 days
 

Did Western’s REBs meet their posted initial review timelines?

HSREB

Posted
3–4 weeks
Achieved
84%
Average
14 days

 
 
 

NMREB

Posted
3–4 weeks
Achieved
74%
Average
20 days

 

How long did approval take?


HSREB Approvals
(delegated)

 

  • 2%  
  • 49%  
  • 15%  
  • 35%  
 

 


HSREB Approvals
(full board)

  • 17%  
  • 58%  
  • 13%  
  • 13%  
 

 


NMREB Approvals
(delegated and full board)

 

  • 12%  
  • 56%  
  • 22%  
  • 10%  
 

 

What were some common reasons for longer review times?

  • Initial applications incomplete when submitted (e.g., missing documents, missing information, incorrect signatories)
  • Research plan misaligned with institutional policies/procedures.
  • Inconsistencies within the application
  • Logistics not fully conceptualized (insufficient detail about each of the research activities to allow 3rd party replication)
  • Multi-site studies where the local research procedures were not defined
  • Student applications with insufficient PI oversight

2021

In 2021

How many applications did Western's REBs process?

Initial Applications

1191

Continuing Ethics Reviews

2684


Amendments

1956

Reportable
Events

568

Average response times

The following data reflects the average workdays for the Health Sciences and Non Medical REBs to issue recommendations and the average researcher response times

HSREB Recommendations
9 days
Researcher Response
15 days
 
NMREB Recommendations
15 days
Researcher Response
13 days
 

Did Western’s REBs meet their posted initial review timelines?

HSREB

Posted
3–4 weeks
Achieved
98%
Average
12 days

 
 
 

NMREB

Posted
3–4 weeks
Achieved
40%
Average
25 days


*NMREB times were slower due to challenges with reviewer availability. OHRE is working with the NMREB to review process in order to improve this metric.

How long did approval take?


HSREB Approvals
(delegated)

 

  • 25%  
  • 51%  
  • 13%  
  • 7%  
 

 


HSREB Approvals
(full board)

  • 6%  
  • 46%  
  • 29%  
  • 19%  
 

 


NMREB Approvals
(delegated and full board)

 

  • 6%  
  • 62%  
  • 25%  
  • 7%  
 

 

What were some common reasons for longer review times?

  • Initial applications incomplete when submitted (e.g., missing documents, missing information, incorrect signatories).
  • Research plan misaligned with institutional policies/procedures.
  • Inconsistencies within the application.
  • Logistics not fully conceptualized (insufficient detail about each of the research activities to allow 3rd party replication).
  • Multi-site studies where the local research procedures were not defined
  • Student applications with insufficient PI oversight

2020

In 2020

How many applications did Western's REBs process?

Initial Applications

1144

Continuing Ethics Reviews

2623


Amendments

1793

Reportable
Events

789

Average response times

The following data reflects the average workdays for the Health Sciences and Non Medical REBs to issue recommendations and the average researcher response times

HSREB Recommendations
9 days
Researcher Response
11 days
 
NMREB Recommendations
10 days
Researcher Response
15 days
 

Did Western’s REBs meet their posted initial review timelines?

HSREB

Posted
3–4 weeks
Achieved
92%
Average
11 days

 
 
 

NMREB

Posted
2–3 weeks
Achieved
50%
Average
18 days


*NMREB times were slightly slower due to challenges with reviewer availability. OHRE is working with the NMREB to review process in order to improve this metric.

How long did approval take?


HSREB Approvals
(delegated)

  • 36%  
  • 40%  
  • 14%  
  • 9%  
 

 


HSREB Approvals
(full board)

  • 2%  
  • 48%  
  • 28%  
  • 22%  
 

 


NMREB Approvals
(delegated and full board)



  • 21%  
  • 57%  
  • 9%  
  • 13%  
 

 

What were some common reasons for longer review times?

  • Initial applications incomplete when submitted (e.g., missing documents, missing information, incorrect signatories)
  • Research plan misaligned with institutional policies/procedures
  • Inconsistencies within the application
  • Logistics not fully conceptualized (insufficient detail about each of the research activities to allow 3rd party replication)

2019