The UAMS Institutional Review Board has been fully accredited by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) since 2005. In fact, we were one of the first two dozen or so institutions to earn that accreditation when it became available. Our next reaccreditation application is due in the fall of 2015, and IRB staff are already working on preparing the application. Please keep watching this blog space for updates on information you’ll need to know as we continue the reaccreditation process. You may be getting emails from us asking for evaluations or input, and some IRB reviewers may be asked to meet with AAHRPP staff when AAHRPP conducts its expected site visit (although this visit won’t occur until after our application is submitted and reviewed). We also encourage you to click around on AAHRPP’s website to learn more about AAHRPP, its aims, and the application process. AAHRPP also publishes tip sheets that may be of interest to reviewers.
Per the website, “AAHRPP accreditation is a public affirmation of your commitment to protecting research participants. That commitment resonates not only with participants but also with researchers, sponsors, government agencies, and the general public.”
Our reviewers are a cornerstone of that commitment, and we are grateful for your help and support in not only our AAHRPP accreditation, but in carrying out the daily responsibilities of our human research protection program.