DR-IRB Frequently Asked Questions
“DR-IRB” stands for “Dash Research Institutional Review Board”. DR-IRB is the electronic system, replacing the iMedRIS system, that will IRB review and approval for human subjects research at UTK.
DR-IRB launches on November 10, 2025
Active support for the iMedRIS system will end on October 31, 2025. This means that only submissions approved by closed of business on that day will be migrated to the DR-IRB system. Submissions that have not received approval at that time must be resubmitted in DR-IRB after it launches on November 10, 2025.
All studies listed as in iMedris as “Approved” or “Closed to Enrollment: Analysis Only” will be migrated to the DR-IRB system. To easily identify what will be transitioned to the DR-IRB system, researchers may check the “All Projects” heading at the bottom of the iMedris homepage.
Any protocol that migrates to the DR-IRB system will also have all documents marked as “Approved” or “Acknowledged” migrated with them.
We expect that the iMedRIS system will remain available for researcher to access previously approved studies or materials, even after DR-IRB launches. While we anticipate that researchers will be able to access their materials, they will not be able to create submissions or obtain new IRB approvals in iMedRIS after October 31, 2025.
Researchers are welcome to submit in advance of the iMedRIS blackout date of October 31, 2025. Researchers submitting Amendments or Continuing Reviews should be cognizant of IRB review times.
Researchers that are planning new studies, but have not yet submitted, are encouraged to utilize the Protocol Templates that will be used by DR-IRB. Researchers who choose to submit these protocol templates with their iMedRIS applications may complete the application and refer IRB reviewers to the attached protocol template.
UTK’s HRPP has been offering and will continue to offer educational sessions leading up to and after DR-IRB launches. Researchers are welcome to register for these sessions on the Workshop Calendar.
UTK’s IRB website and the DASH SharePoint Site will continue to update with information, researchers can request to be added to the UTK DR-IRB listserv, and both UTK’s IRB and the University of Tennessee DASH Project Team regularly contact researchers with more information.