The Cost of Institutional Review Boards in Academic Medical Centers

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Abstract
An important concern with respect to protecting human research participants is that institutional review boards (IRBs) have insufficient resources.1 However, there are few reports of the actual costs of IRB review.2-4 To estimate the cost of operating academic IRBs in 2002, we undertook a survey with the support of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. We surveyed 121 U.S. medical schools with active IRBs; 63 representative institutions responded. Institutions documented the education, experience, and job titles of IRB staff; the composition of the IRB itself; the estimated amounts of time spent on various activities; the costs of equipment, supplies, travel, and space; and the use of outside services. Telephone interviews were then conducted. Activities were converted to costs with the use of nationally published wage rates, costs of office space, and other standardized cost figures.

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