Exempt Review:

Certain research activities involving human subjects have been given exemptions from IRB full board review. If an investigator believes that the research activities being proposed fall into one of the exemption categories, the protocol should be submitted to the IRB for exemption review. The decision to approve a project submitted for exemption review will be made by the Chair of the IRB or his/her designee and two additional IRB members. All IRB decisions regarding approval, disapproval, or required modifications will be communicated to the Principal Investigator in writing. The purpose of the exemption review process is to provide assurance that a particular research project does indeed meet the criteria for exemption. All of the research activities in a project that involve human subjects must be exempt in order for the project to be submitted for exemption review. If even one activity is not exempt, the project is not exempt.

ü An Exempt is defined as being exempt from further review and approval beyond the IRB Chairman or Co-Chair. It doesn't t mean that your proposed research is exempt from being reviewed.