Education, News & Events: News Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 20, 2018 ―The Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs today announced that five more U.S. research organizations have attained AAHRPP accreditation. They include a regional health system with over 300 locations, an academic medical center, and three public universities, including the nation’s first state-chartered university.

The newly accredited organizations are:

• Avera Health, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia by and on behalf of the University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
• Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, California
• The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
• Temple University of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

“These organizations join peers around the world in committing to AAHRPP’s high standards for ethical research that prioritizes the safety and welfare of participants,” AAHRPP President and CEO Elyse I. Summers said.

“In today’s complex research environment, AAHRPP’s emphasis on quality, safety and protections for research participants has never been more important,” she added. “We commend all of our accredited organizations for their role in strengthening the global research enterprise and ensuring that participants remain center stage.”

With the latest additions, 250 organizations have earned AAHRPP accreditation. About 20 percent are located outside the U.S., in Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan and Thailand.

To earn AAHRPP accreditation, organizations must show that they have built extensive safeguards into every level of their research operation and that they adhere to high standards for research.

All major U.S. independent institutional review boards have earned AAHRPP accreditation. In addition, 70 percent of U.S. medical colleges and 84 percent of the top National Institutes of Health-funded academic medical centers are either AAHRPP accredited or have begun the accreditation process. NIH, the world’s largest public funder of research, has earned accreditation, as has Pfizer, Inc., the largest industry sponsor of clinical research.

About AAHRPP: A nonprofit organization, AAHRPP provides accreditation for organizations that conduct or review human research and can demonstrate that their protections exceed the safeguards required by the U.S. government. To learn more, visit www.aahrpp.org.