
Ethics review and approval of research involving humans must be obtained before any recruitment or data collection occurs. There are two offices that administer the review process for the 4 McGill REBs.
The Research Ethics Board (REB) Office, a unit within the Office of the Vice-President (Research + Innovation), promotes the highest ethical standards of research involving humans with the primary goal of protecting the rights and welfare of the individuals who are participants in research.
The REB Office administers the review process for REBs 1, 2, 3 and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Research Ethics Board (McGill IRB); provides guidance to researchers in the preparation of submissions; develops and implements policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable provincial, national and international requirements; educates and advises researchers on research ethics issues and the review process.
Ethics review and approval of research involving humans must be obtained before any recruitment or data collection occurs. The ethics review is conducted by one of the 4 McGill Research Ethics Boards (REBs). The relevant REB to apply to primarily depends on departmental or faculty affiliation.
The University has signed REB authorization agreements with the CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal and the MUHC. If your study will be carried out at, or involve participant recruitment from, one of these institutions, an application must be made directly to the REB of that institution. No further review by a McGill REB will be needed. However, if your study also involves University resources (including facilities, equipment, services, or recruitment of staff or student participants), an additional feasibility review needs to be conducted by the University and an Authorization Letter from McGill obtained.
Click on the relevant REB listed below to redirect to their website for specific application instructions, forms, submission deadlines and contact information. Please contact the McGill REB Office for review requirements for studies conducted at a CRIR site.