SEATTLE, March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The human-research protection program
at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has been accredited by the
Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs
Inc., (AAHRPP) a private third-party evaluation organization.
The accreditation process is voluntary and must be renewed every three
years. AAHRPP's examination of human-research programs is broader than that
by the federal government.
"The accreditation process was valuable for the Hutchinson Center
because it offered an opportunity to do a self-assessment and have our
application for accreditation reviewed by third-party, peer-review experts
in the field of human-research protection," said Karen Hansen, director of
the Center's Institutional Review Office.
AAHRPP's examination encompassed not only policies and procedures by
the Center's Institutional Review Board (IRB) but the organization's
overall commitment to human-research protection, how research investigators
interact with the IRB, how the Center interacts with research sponsors and
how it communicates with research participants.
"Accreditation results in greater emphasis on quality, stronger
protections for research participants and increased public trust in
research and its findings," said AAHRPP president and CEO Marjorie A.
Speers. "As more organizations commit to accreditation's high standards,
these benefits are being realized in hospitals, universities,
institutional-review boards and other research facilities nationwide."
Through the rigorous accreditation process, organizations must
demonstrate that they have built extensive safeguards into every level of
their research operation and that they adhere to the highest standards for
research. AAHRPP's standards exceed federal regulations by requiring
organizations to address conflicts of interest, provide community outreach
and education and apply the same stringent protections to all research
involving human participants. (Under federal regulations, such protections
are mandated only for federally sponsored or regulated research.) The
accreditation process typically results in system-wide improvements that
enhance protections for research participants and promote high-quality
research.
About the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research
Protection Programs Inc.
AAHRPP is a nonprofit organization that works with organizations that
conduct or review human research to raise the level of protection for
research participants. AAHRPP accredits organizations that can demonstrate
they provide participant safeguards that surpass the threshold of state and
federal requirements. The accreditation program utilizes a voluntary,
peer-driven, educational model. For organizations interested in learning
more about accreditation, visit http://www.aahrpp.org.
About Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, interdisciplinary teams of
world-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent,
diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Hutchinson Center
researchers, including three Nobel laureates, bring a relentless pursuit
and passion for health, knowledge and hope to their work and to the world.
For more information, please visit http://www.fhcrc.org
CONTACT
Dean Forbes
(206) 667-2896
dforbes@fhcrc.org
SOURCE Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
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Related links:
http://www.fhcrc.org
CONTACT:
Dean Forbes of Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center, +1-206-667-2896, dforbes@fhcrc.org
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