The Research Ethics Board has issued a new version of its protocol application form and will require its use as of January.

Most of the changes address areas in which the board frequently makes comments that could be addressed by improving the clarity of the application. There are more substantial changes to the brief justification, the sections on risks, and the section on confidentiality and use of information.

In order to better differentiate between minimal risk and higher levels of risk, the application now distinguishes between minimal and low levels of method risk. This change is intended to encourage researchers to evaluate the actual level of risk associated with the project, rather than to focus on seeking a minimal risk designation.

Due to increases in archiving of data, sharing of data with others beyond those named in the project, and publication of datasets, new fields have been added to the section on confidentiality. Here researchers are asked to describe outputs that will result from the project, as well as to consider if and how the information might be used in the future. The ethical conduct of research does not end with the completion of data collection from participants, and extends for the entire lifecycle of the information that results.

The board is moving toward an electronic submission process and no longer requires multiple paper copies. Instead, it now requires that researchers submit one complete paper copy with signatures. The board continues to require that a single electronic file that includes all components (including appendices and attachments) is submitted for review, by e-mailing the file to ethics@uwindsor.ca.

All new applications must be submitted on the latest version of the application; as of January 1, applications submitted on older versions of the application will not be accepted for review. The application and updated instructions can be found at www1.uwindsor.ca/reb/forms. For further assistance, contact the Research Ethics Board at ethics@uwindsor.ca.

The beginning of the year is a very busy time at the board, so the office recommends that researchers submit applications well in advance of planned start dates.