The CCTS and the UAB Office of the Vice President for Research have been hosting early morning small-group discussions designed to engage in conversations surrounding research reentry. Last week’s sessions were geared towards clinical trials and human subjects research, and the sessions taking place this week will include discussion surrounding all research— Events are limited to 25 attendees to allow engaged discussion. Please register to join here. If you have not yet prepared for your return to campus, this article provides key information you may need.

• Activities Permitted: The color code system may adjust as new information becomes available, but May 26 marks movement from code orange to code yellow, and the essential research constraints will be removed. On or after June 9, human subjects research that involves close physical contact (or < 6 feet of social distancing) may be re-started or initiated. Even still, the request to refrain from returning to campus remains for research teams able to continue their work remotely.

• Screening & Testing: Every research participant must be screened for COVID-19 24 hours before arriving on campus, and then again upon arrival to campus. A positive screening requires COVID-19 testing, and there are several ways to secure testing, none of which will require out-of-pocket expenses for the participant:

  • Those with health insurance may be referred to their provider for testing

  • Those without health insurance have a few options: Residents of Jefferson County will be eligible for testing paid for by the county. For participants who do not live in Jefferson County, they may receive testing reimbursement through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), FEMA, and the CARES Act.

• Use of Core Facilities: When it comes to shared spaces that may have multiple Return to Operations (R2Ops) plans in place, ensure clear communication by sharing those plans with every investigator using that space, recognizing that coordination of SOPs is critical.

• Guidance: When there are questions surrounding the safety requirements for specific research procedures involving human subjects, make sure to gain input from the CCTS Clinical Research Support Program, the Clinical Trials Administrative Office, or the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Additionally, make certain to familiarize your team with the UAB Guide to Re-entry, including resources such as this, specific to resuming human subjects research.