Re: Open Meetings for IACUC/IRB Renner, Michael 27 Jul 2000 08:21 EST
Generally any governmentally-supported school is probably bound by provisions in their state's laws, requiring open meetings of any government body (which we are, technically). When IACUCs have tried to gain exemptions to this, they have usually failed; state laws on this issue tend to be broad and inclusive. The rules for public and private institutions will differ, so check the rules where you are. As they say in car commercials, "some restrictions will apply." Michael Renner ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Michael J. Renner, Ph.D. Interim Associate Vice President, Academic Affairs Professor of Psychology West Chester University West Chester, PA 19383 xxxxxx@wcupa.edu Telephone: 610-436-3310 Fax: 610-436-2763 http://www.wcupa.edu/_academics/osr/ "The path of least resistance is always downhill." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: Rosemary Ruff [mailto:xxxxxx@MAIL.AUBURN.EDU] Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2000 8:55 AM To: xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG Subject: Open Meetings for IACUC/IRB We are in the process of rewriting our policy and procedures manuals for IACUC . In the past, the meetings have been closed members have had to sign a confidentiality agreement. Our Vice-President has asked that the meetings be open meetings except when the protocol to be reviewed contains confidential or proprietary information. There are several published references which support this idea, especially since many of the protocols must now be made available under a FOIA request. However, the present Chair and a couple of "veteran" members feel that it is inappropriate to have open meetings. Their objections are that its much easier to conduct a closed meeting and industrial sponsors won't fund projects if the IACUC deliberations are open to the public, i.e., the sponsor will automatically feel that closing the meeting while reviewing confidential/propriatary projects isn't sufficient protection of their "industrial secrets." I would like to know: 1) if your institution's IACUC(s) meetings are open meetings, 2) how long they have been open, and 3) whether or not your industrial sponsorship has decreased as a result of open meetings. Thanks in advance for any information you can give. Rosemary Rosemary Ruff 307 Samford Hall Associate Director Auburn University, AL 36849 Office of Review and Compliance Phone (334) 844-5978 Auburn University Fax (334) 844-4391 ====================================================================== Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists") ====================================================================== ====================================================================== Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists") ======================================================================