Protocol Administration

Note: Only users with system administrator privileges can access Protocol Administration.

The Protocol Administration window is used to manage what protocols and patients are blinded and unblinded. Protocol administration is accessed by clicking Tools > Protocol Administration from the HAWS menu bar.

Figure: The Protocol Administration window. (1) add/view/modify protocols, (2) add/view/modify unblinded patients, (3) add new protocol to HAWS, (4) modify selected protocol, (5) list of protocols entered into HAWS



For the evaluation of sero-reactivity (EOS), evaluation of sero-reactivity recent exposure (EOX), and post-study (POS) algorithms, the final workflow report can be generated as either blinded or unblinded. Here is how the two versions differ:

  • A blinded report shows the overall final workflow result, but does not include individual test results.
  • An unblinded report shows both the final workflow result and individual test results.

The routine (VST) and recent exposure (EXP) algorithms always produce blinded reports. The infected testing (INF) algorithm essentially produces an unblinded report because it is a report of an individual RNA PCR test.

To determine whether an HIV Infection Status Report should be produced as blinded or unblinded, HAWS checks whether the entire protocol has been unblinded. If the entire protocol has not been unblinded, HAWS will check if the specific Patient ID for this algorithm has been unblinded. If neither of these are the case, then HAWS will produce a blinded report.