A researcher getting information from or about living people (even public information) needs to go through the IRB approval process. Because the information is human related, it must follow HIPAA guidelines as well. For futher information regarding HIPAA, see the second sheet of the Exemption form. It is recommended that faculty and students using information from ICPSR should call the DU Research Compliance Manager (RCM) at 303-871-4052. To access the IRB forms go to http://www.du.edu/osp/irb.html.

• For numerical raw research data, the researcher will usually need to complete the exemption form.
• For Census data, the researcher will need to complete the expidited form.
• For any research that is high risk, such as identifiable subjects and/or information regarding tissue samples, one must go through the full IRB Application and Review process.

The responsibility of using the information ethically lies with the researcher. The researcher needs to follow DU's guidelines, but also the confidentiality guidelines set forth by ICPSR, which are explained at the ICPSR website, http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/irb/index.html.