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Application Process and Meeting Dates

Learn more about how to submit an application to the Research Ethics Board.

The scope of REB review includes all research involving human participants conducted under the auspices of Sinai Health. 

According to the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS), “research” is defined as:
 

…an undertaking intended to extend knowledge through a disciplined inquiry and/or systematic investigation. The term “disciplined inquiry” refers to an inquiry that is conducted with the expectation that the method, results and conclusions will be able to withstand the scrutiny of the relevant research community.

 

Quality assurance and quality improvement projects do not constitute research when used “exclusively for assessment, management, or improvement purposes”, as per Article 2.5 of the TCPS. In the event that an investigator cannot determine whether an intended investigation constitutes research or quality assurance/improvement, please complete the Screening Determination Form (PDF) and submit it to [email protected] for review.

For other inquiries, please contact us. Providing such consultation on ethics matters is part of the responsibility of the Board

Full board review submission

This is the level of REB review assigned to studies which involve greater than minimal risk. This is the default that will apply unless there is sufficient justification for delegated review.
A total of 20 copies must be delivered to the REB Office prior to the submission deadline, including:

  • Five full, collated packages, each containing all applicable documents mentioned below:
    • MSH TAHSN Application Form, including Study Impact Sheet (one containing original signatures)
    • Consent Form(s) 
    • Protocol
    • Budget Information
    • Questionnaires, Recruitment Tools, etc.
    • Investigator’s Brochure/Product Monograph/Device Manual (as applicable)
    • Health Canada No Objection Letter (as applicable)   
  • 15 short, collated packages, each containing the following documents:
    • MSH TAHSN Application Form, including Study Impact Sheet
    • Consent Form(s)

Delegated review submission

Submissions for delegated review are accepted on a rolling basis (i.e., not subject to a submission deadline).

Studies that may qualify for delegated review are considered either minimal-risk and non-invasive (e.g. retrospective chart reviews, non-intrusive questionnaires or surveys, non-invasive assessments, use of existing samples), or studies involving only current standards of care.

For delegated review, please submit two copies of the appropriate Application Form (one containing original signatures) and accompanying study documents to the REB Office.

The investigator must include the justification for requesting delegated review. The decision of whether a study qualifies for delegated review rests with the REB Chair. Where delegated review is not granted, the investigator will be informed that a full board review will be required.

The REB Office requires hard copies of all applications with original signatures. Electronic or faxed submissions will not be accepted.

Meeting dates 2024-2025

Complete submissions will be sent for review on a first come, first serve basis. Submissions must be received by the REB prior to the submission deadline. Please refer to the Application Process section above for further information on submitting to the REB

October 2024 – December 2025

BoardMeeting dateSubmission deadline
 2024 
ANovember 13October 30
BNovember 27November 13
ADecember 11November 27
 2025 
AJanuary 8December 11, 2024
BJanuary 22January 8
AFebruary 12January 29 
BFebruary 26 February 12
AMarch 12February 26
BMarch 26 March 12 
AApril 9March 26 
BApril 23April 9
AMay 14April 30
BMay 28May 14
AJune 11 May 28
BJune 25 June 11
BJuly 16July 2 
AAugust 20August 6
ASeptember 10 August 27
BSeptember 24September 10 
AOctober 8September 24
BOctober 22 October 8
ANovember 12October 29 
BNovember 26 November 12 
ADecember 10 November 26

Frequently Asked Questions

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The application form and detailed instructions can be downloaded from Forms and Guidelines. Send your application to the address on this page.

Expedited reviews can take approximately three to four weeks. For full board reviews, you will get a response back from the REB approximately one week after the monthly meeting. You must submit the protocol two weeks prior to the REB meeting.

You may contact the REB Office by phone at 416-586-4875 (Bibi Hack) or by email: Bibi Hack at [email protected].

Some studies may be considered for delegated review. This applies to research which is considered either minimal-risk and non-invasive (e.g. retrospective chart reviews, questionnaires or surveys, non-invasive assessments, use of tissue), or studies involving only current standards of care.

A list of required documents can be found on the instruction sheets which are attached to the application forms. You can download these in the Forms and Guidelines.

If the principal investigator is conducting the study at Mount Sinai Hospital (MSH) using MSH patients, the proposal must be submitted to the MSH REB. If the study involves another teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto, then approval from that other site must also be sought.

You must still submit an application to the MSH REB, however, a discussion with the Research Ethics Board prior to submission is encouraged because these studies may be considered for expedited review.

If the study is to be carried out at UHN as well as MSH and you have received approval from MSH, submit the protocol and MSH correspondence to UHN. If UHN has already approved the protocol, submit the protocol and all UHN correspondence to MSH.

Fees for submitting to the MSH REB apply to all Industry-Sponsored and Investigator-Initiated studies funded by Industry. Fees are invoiced upon receipt of the submission to the REB Office.

The following fees are currently in place as of January 1, 2017:

  • Initial REB submission/review: $3,500
  • Renewals: $500
  • Major Amendments: $500

The FWA number for Mount Sinai Hospital is FWA00000911.

For all study agreements, including Data Sharing Agreements, Material Transfer Agreements and Clinical Trial Agreements, please contact the Office of Technology Transfer & Industrial Liaison at 416-586-8246.

The position taken by our REB is that we do not allow researchers to simply contact potential participants with whom they have had no prior, relevant, clinical relationship. The reasons for this are issues of confidentiality and the protection of privacy, and, in some instances, the prevention of potential, unnecessary psychological harm to very vulnerable groups.

In the event that an investigator cannot determine whether an intended investigation constitutes research (for instance, quality assurance/improvement projects do not constitute research), the investigator should approach the Research Ethics Board office for a determination.

For determinations related to quality assurance or quality improvement projects, please complete the Screening Determination Form (PDF) and submit it to [email protected] for review.

For other inquiries, please contact the REB Office at 416-586-4875 or [email protected]. Providing such consultation on ethics matters is part of the responsibility of the Board.

For clinical trials or observational studies that are being conducted at a multiple sites, the Clinical Trials Ontario (CTO) Streamlined Research Ethics Review System (SRERS) allows a single, qualified Research Ethics Board (Board of Record) to oversee the review and conduct of studies occurring at multiple sites. Please see Research Involving Multiple Sites for further information.

If you have any other questions about the Research Ethics Board, please email: Kathleen Austin at [email protected] or Nushrat Sultana at [email protected].