Exempt studies are minimal risk and fit within a set of established exemption categories.

Some of the established exemption categories include:

• Educational tests, survey procedures, interview procedures, or observation of public behavior
• Secondary research (uses of identifiable private information or identifiable biospecimens) for which consent is not required

Studies involving no more than minimal risk, identification of the subjects/responses won’t place them in harm, and research is not classified.

Some of the established expedited categories include:

• Collection of biological specimens or data by noninvasive means
• Research involving materials that have been collected or will be collected solely for nonresearch purposes

Research does not qualify for exempt or expedited review:

• Any vulnerable populations
• Procedures that might cause physical, emotional, or psychological harm
• Collected information on sensitive subjects of illegal behavior