Recruitment Material
Advertising is a common method used to recruit potential participants. Examples of advertisements include flyers, brochures, social media ads, email solicitations, letters, websites, etc. You must obtain IRB approval before using advertisements, other recruitment methods, and materials to recruit prospective participants. If advertisements will appear on property owned by someone other than the investigator (e.g., a school cafeteria, a workplace lobby), appropriate approvals must be submitted with your IRB documents. Advertisements must be submitted to the IRB in their final form in order to be reviewed.
Internet Advertising
Advertisements posted on the internet must adhere to the guidelines below and be approved by the IRB prior to posting. The intended internet sites where the advertisements will be posted and the use of websites, blogs, internet forums, and social networking sites for the dissemination of information must be described in the IRB Review Form. If the site or group is owned by someone other than the investigator, approval from this person must be included.
The IRB requires the following statement to be included: The information posted in this announcement (or message) is consistent with the research reviewed and approved by the USU Institutional Review Board (IRB). Contact the IRB if you have questions regarding your rights as a participant or have questions, complaints, or concerns that you do not feel you can discuss with the investigator. The USU IRB may be reached at IRB@usuniversity.edu.
What should advertisements include? Advertisements for recruitment should be limited to the information the prospective participants need to determine their eligibility and interest. The following items should be included in advertisements:
- the name of the investigator
- the purpose of the research
- in summary form, the criteria that will be used to determine eligibility for the study
- a brief list of participation benefits, if any
- the time or other commitment required of the participants
- the location of the activity and the person to contact for further information
What is not acceptable in advertisements? The IRB will not allow recruitment methods or advertisements that are misleading, inaccurate, exculpatory, coercive, or unduly influential. The IRB will review advertisements to ensure that they do not:
- state or imply a certainty of favorable outcome or other benefits beyond what is outlined in the consent document and protocol.
- include exculpatory language (this is language that waives or appears to waive any of the participant's legal rights).
- emphasize the payment or the amount to be paid, by such means as larger or bold type. The dollar amount to be paid to participants may be included in advertisements. However, the IRB may determine that stating the specific amount is coercive or unduly influential. In these instances, the IRB will only allow the advertisement to state that compensation will be offered without including the dollar amount.
- promise "free treatment" when the intent is only to say participants will not be charged for participating in the investigation.