Research that is deemed to pose ‘minimal risk’ will usually undergo an expedited (delegated) review. A delegated member of the ethics committee (often the Chair or Deputy Chair) can decide on an outcome for the ethics application without needing to hold a formal meeting. The decision of the reviewer will then be communicated to the researcher through a formal letter.
If the delegated reviewer finds that he / she is unable to make a decision alone, the application will then be scheduled for a full board review.