Proposals shall be submitted to the chair of the IRB at least 60 days prior to the initial time of subject enrollment in order for adequate consideration to be given to the request. The IRB shall review and have authority to approve, require modifications to secure approval, or disapprove all research activities. The IRB shall require the investigator to provide information that describes the research purpose and methodology and information given to subjects to obtain their informed consent. Research activities led by a non-MSDH employee must identify an MSDH employee who serves as a research co-investigator.

• Application
  Please complete the form above and return by email to irb@msdh.state.ms.us

Protected Health Information

To use protected health information (PHI) in a study protocol, you must have one of the following:

• Authorization (consent) from the research participant which meets HIPAA requirements.
• Waiver of the HIPAA authorization requirement from the IRB.

A waiver is a request to forgo the authorization requirement based on the fact that the disclosure of PHI involves minimal risk to the participant and the research cannot practically be done without access to/use of PHI. If the Research Investigator believes the study fulfills the waiver requirement, he/she may submit a request for waiver of HIPAA authorization. Please contact the IRB Chair to receive a Waiver Request Form at irb@msdh.state.ms.us.

IRB Review Exemption

The chair of the IRB may consider the following public health activities exempt from IRB review:

1. Common educational practices in educational settings;
2. Educational tests, surveys, or observations of public behavior that are not recorded in any identifiable format and could not place the subject at any risk for liability or damage;
3. Evaluations involving existing data, documents, records, or pathological specimens if these sources are publicly available or if the information is recorded by the investigator without identifiers that link to the participants;
4. Evaluations conducted by agency/department heads or their designees to measure the public's benefit from MSDH service programs, the methods for obtaining benefits/services, and the outcomes of these services.

Expedited IRB Review

Expedited review shall be used for research that presents no more than minimal risk to human subjects and involves only procedures authorized by Title 45 CFR 46 federal rules and regulations, and for minor changes in previously approved research during the period (of one year or less) for which approval is authorized. Additionally, some protocols may be eligible for expedited review if the protocol was previously approved by the IRB.

• Kathy Burk MSW, CPM - Director, Women, Infants and Children's Program
• Paul Byers, MD - Senior Physician, Epidemiology
• Mary Currier, MD, MPH - State Epidemiologist
• Juanita Graham, MSN, RN - Chief Nurse, Health Services
• Samantha Heard - Health Systems Division Director, American Cancer Society
• Kay Henry, RN BSN - Chief Nurse, Field Services
• Leandro Mena, MD, MPH (Co-Chair) - Associate Professor, University of Mississippi Medical Center
• Nicholas Mosca, DDS (Chair) - State Dental Director
• Dennis Sharp, J.D. - Special Assistant Attorney General, Legal Services