IRB Authorization Agreement (IAA)

Also known as a reliance agreement, a formal, written document that provides a mechanism for an institution engaged in Human Subjects Research (HSR) to delegate Institutional Review Board (IRB) review to an independent IRB or an IRB of another institution. Institutions that are engaged in human subjects research, where one institution will rely on the other institution’s IRB, must agree to the terms of the reliance agreement before research can begin.