UW Research

Glossary of Terms and Acronyms

third party subjects

An informal name for living individuals about whom researchers obtain individually identifiable private information from someone else but who themselves have no interaction with the researcher….

unanticipated adverse device effect

Any serious adverse effect on health or safety or any life-threatening problem or death caused by, or associated with a medical device (if that effect, problem…

unanticipated problem

A problem or event that meets all of the following criteria: Unexpected – The harm (or potential harm) is inconsistent with risk information previously reviewed and…

undue influence

Undue influence refers to the use of persuasion, authority figures, or the offer of an excessive or inappropriate reward or other overture in order to obtain…

vulnerable populations

Groups of subjects who may be at higher risk for effects of undue influence or coercion on their decision about whether to participate in a research…

waiver of consent

According to federal regulations, researchers may not involve a human being as a subject in research unless they have obtained the “legally effective informed consent of…

waiver of documentation of consent

Federal regulations require a researcher to document that the research participants have provided informed consent. This is typically accomplished by signing a consent form. However, the…

waiver of HIPAA authorization

A request for permission to access, obtain, use or disclose a research subject’s Protected Health Information (PHI) for research purposes without obtaining the subject’s specific authorization…