Dear colleagues,
 
We write to share important upcoming changes to COUHES Connect that will impact new and existing Exempt Evaluations. These changes aim to remove duplicative exempt studies and close inactive protocols.

Beginning on February 5, 2024:

• Exempt Evaluations will automatically close after the listed end date. Faculty sponsors and principal investigators will receive reminders 14 and 7 days prior to the closure.
• Investigators with Exempt Evaluations will have the ability to extend the end date for up to one year beyond the current date, or to close the completed exempt research at any time.

Immediate action required:
 
Exempt Evaluations with an end date on or prior to February 5, 2024, will automatically close with the upcoming system changes. If your exempt research has an end date between August 1, 2023, and February 5, 2024, and you wish to keep the study open, please provide a new end date to COUHES@mit.edu by January 26.
 
For a step-by-step guide to extending completion dates or closing studies, please see the COUHES Connect Guidance on our website.
 
Sincerely,
 
Leigh Firn
Chairman, Committee on the Use of Humans as Experimental Subjects (COUHES)

Greg Moffatt
Chief Research Compliance Officer, Office of the Vice President for Research