Ohio's three Clinical and Translational Science Award institutions establish IRB agreement

Based on this success, the CTSC of Cleveland, The Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science and the University of Cincinnati Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training initiated discussions of developing this concept statewide and evolved it into a model whereby a single institution serves as the sole IRB for a multicenter project across the various participating Ohio sites. In addition to the three CTSA sites, partners in the agreement include: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth Medical Center, Nationwide Children's Hospital, and University Hospitals Case Medical Center.

This adaptation in human subject protections removes considerable burdens from individual IRBs, sponsors and clinical investigators seeking to increase the knowledge that can be gained from multicenter trials.

"This new agreement has already facilitated research planning across Ohio," said Thomas Boat, M.D., vice president for health affairs and dean of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, referring to a partnership between investigators at University of Cincinnati and Case Western Reserve made possible by the new cross-CTSA IRB. Researchers involved will soon begin recruiting patients for a trial on hepatitis A and B vaccine responsiveness in patients with HIV, hepatitis C, or both. "This research partnership is a testament to the speed with which we can get things accomplished — and ultimately benefit patients — with the right processes in place."

CTSAs were established by the National Institutes of Health to accelerate the process of conducting clinical research and translating it into therapies that benefit human health. Since 2007, Ohio's three CTSAs have brought in more than $185 million in federal funding to the state.

"By combining the efforts of these research powerhouses, along with the support of the CTSAs, we will make Ohio a premier place for biomedical research and discovery," said Charles Lockwood, M.D., dean of The Ohio State University College of Medicine.

Source: Case Western Reserve University