Research Roundtable: New HRP-503 Protocol template now required
Published March 3, 2026
The IRB has released a new HRP-503 Protocol document, which was designed to make completing the document more efficient for researchers and reduce the number of revisions during the review process.
The University at Buffalo IRB’s new HRP-503 Protocol document, released in January, is now required for use. It is available in the Click library under the “Templates” tab and can be found here.
“The updated version of the protocol is more streamlined and straightforward, so this should make it quicker and easier for researchers to complete,” explains Alexis O’Brien, Clinical Research Facilitator for the UB Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). “In particular, when researchers pursue exempt research, only 22 of the 37 sections of the protocol must be completed.”
O’Brien shares that the CTSI will hold an Open Research Office Zoom session outlining the new template on March 25; register here.
Changes to the HRP-503 include reorganization so the questions required for investigators who are seeking a “Not Human Subjects” or “Exempt” research determination can be found at the front of the protocol. If the IRB determines that the study does not meet “Not Human Subjects” or “Exempt” research criteria, then the IRB can request that the researcher complete the rest of the document.
The protocol also removes several sections out of the main document entirely, and replaces them with “supplemental” documents that will only be added to the IRB submission in Click when they are needed for the particular study. Note that the protocol does not replace the HRP-503R, which is primarily used for retrospective medical chart review submissions.
For questions, contact the UBIRB at 716-888-4888 or ub-irb@buffalo.edu.
“Research Roundtable” is a section in the University at Buffalo Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Translational Spotlight newsletter. Add your email to the newsletter mailing list here.
