By Alison Bateman-House, Hayley M. Belli, and Sage Gustafson
This series is adapted from a webinar hosted by PRIM&R on August 5, 2021: IRB Review of Expanded Access Protocols that Collect Real World Data: Considerations and Guidance. Read Part 1 and Part 2.
Part 3: What’s an IRB to do?
EA is considered treatment, not research. EA was not established as a means to collect research data, even though certain safety data must be collected and shared with the FDA and the sponsor. But, once sponsors decide to capture/share EA-derived data above and beyond that needed to report SAEs, what should IRBs do when reviewing such plans: view this as research, and thus hold it to (higher) research standards, or continue to view this as treatment? This distinction is important for patients’ rights and welfare.