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The WCM IRB is an appropriately constituted group whose primary responsibility is to ensure that the rights and welfare of human subjects in research are protected. In doing so, the IRB must ensure all human subject research activities are conducted ethically, and in compliance with Federal regulations, the requirements of applicable New York State and local law, and institutional policies and procedures. In accordance with the Common Rule and FDA regulations, the IRB has responsibility for approving, modifying, and/or disapproving human subject research. The IRB also has the authority to suspend or terminate research in order to protect research subjects and for noncompliance with applicable rules and regulations.
As part of the IRB’s partnership with the research community in the ethical conduct of human subjects research, this website acts as the entry point to IRB resources at Weill Cornell Medicine.
The WCM IRB spans across 5 committees that review different areas of research and submission types: The Expedited IRB, which reviews expedited submissions for General/Non-Cancer research; General IRBs #1 and #2 (G1 and G2), which review submissions requiring a convened full board review for General/Non-Cancer research; and Cancer IRBs #1 and #2 (CA1 and CA2), which review both expedited submissions and submissions requiring a convened full board review for all Cancer research.
FWA and IRB registration numbers for the WCM IRBs can be found here.
The research community is invited to contact the IRB staff for assistance.
For information on the IRB's submission system, WRG-HS, refer to the FAQ and Knowledge Base. For technical support, email wrg-support@med.cornell.edu. Read about recent new features and updates here.
For information about disclosing Conflicts of Interest, visit the Conflict of Interest Office website.
For WCM human subjects research in Qatar, visit the WCM-Qatar IRB website.
For human subjects research at Cornell University (Ithaca Campus), visit the Cornell University IRB website.
View the latest information on reopening clinical research at WCM, provided by the Senior Associate Dean of Research, Dr. Hugh Hemmings, and the Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Research, Dr. Rainu Kaushal.
Click here for a prior COVID-19 human subjects research-related memo from Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Research, Dr. Rainu Kaushal, outlining requirements for reopening clinical research at WCM .
The IRB is pleased to offer help sessions via Zoom and by appointment on Thursdays between 10am and 12pm. Email irb@med.cornell.edu to schedule an appointment for one of the following days:
We look forward to assisting you!
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office for Human Research Protections has released decision charts to help investigators assess whether their research is exempt under the Revised Common Rule, effective January 21, 2019.
Access the decision charts here and then make the appropriate submission to the IRB for approval.
Click here to view exemption decision charts pertaining to studies approved by the IRB prior to January 21, 2019.
Effective January 21, 2019, the human research regulations (officially known as 45 CFR 46, but widely known as the “common rule”) have changed. This new/revised regulation was initiated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is also adopted by fifteen other federal department and agencies (for a complete list click here). Regulations affected by these changes include the categories for “exempt,” new definition of “human subject”, and specific requirements for single IRB review (also known as “sIRB”), among others. More information is available here.