Scientific Review Committees

About scientific review

If you are planning work with human subjects, you must receive a scientific review before completing the ITHS service application process. The CRCN Scientific Review Committee will ensure that the proposed study has undergone a thorough scientific and ethical review evaluating scientific merit, compliance with current ethical standards for human subjects research, and feasibility.

The CRC Medical Director will determine whether your specific protocol received a qualified external review by a pre-approved committee (see below)--based on you providing proof of the external review and a short Prior Peer Scientific Review Form. Note that the Medical Director may forward your protocol to the CRCN Scientific Review Committee for full review, even if that study has undergone independent scientific review. This may occur if the original review was conducted for the aim of a grant rather than a specific protocol, or if extensive modifications had been made since the last review.

Currently our scientific review is performed in the style of the National Institutes of Health. We evaluate the significance of the work proposed, the innovation of the study, and the validity of your approach. Investigators are welcome to attend the portion of the meeting during which their application is discussed. Please send email to ithsapps@u.washington.edu if you are interested in attending.

Approved external peer Scientific Review Committees

The CRCN Scientific Review Committee accepts evaluations of scientific merit completed by qualified external peer scientific review committees:

• IMPAACT - International Maternal Pediatrics Adolescents AIDS Clinical Trials
• ACTG - AIDS Clinical Trials Group - Adult version of IMPAACT
• CTEP- Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program
• Cystic Fibrosis Protocol Review Committee (TDN – Therapeutic Drugs Network)
• FHCRC - Fred Hutchinson - Cancer Research Center SRC Committee
• NIH study section review

NOTE: All federal agencies with internal scientific review mechanisms are considered approved external committees. Examples include but are not limited to: the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), NIH study sections, Department of Defense (DOD), and the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The requirements for proof of review and approval are the same as above (see the Prior Peer Scientific Review Form for more details).
 

If your committee is not on the list

If your committee is not on the list and you would like it to be considered for future submissions, please provide the following documentation about the external scientific review committee with your ITHS resources application:

• The committee’s standard operating procedure or review process guidelines
• The committee’s review template/application
• A roster of the committee members

The committee will review these materials along with your application and if approved, include it on their qualified list.