The University of New Mexico Human Research Protections Program (HRPP), UNM’s provider of regulatory and ethical review services for human research at UNM Main & Branch Campuses, today announced that it has received full accreditation by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protections Programs (AAHRPP), effective March 20, 2017. AAHRPP serves to protect the rights and welfare of research participants, and also to build public trust and confidence in research.

The UNM Institutional Review Board (IRB) was established over two decades ago to meet the review needs of sponsors, contract research organizations and investigators across the Main and Branch campuses. The HRPP, which includes the IRB, the University and the researchers, provides oversight for all research activities involving human participants at the University of New Mexico. The HRPP is not an office, but rather a collective effort of all who participate in the conduct, review, approval and facilitation of human research at UNM.

They join eight other organizations in earning AAHRPP accreditation this quarter, bringing the total to 238 accredited organizations overall.

“Undertaking the process of national accreditation was a way to show that UNM has a tremendous interest in the protection and safety of participants in human research,” said HRPP Director Linda Petree. “The accreditation process was quite intensive. It involved implementing a substantial number of policies and procedures, developing relationships with all of the components of the program, as well as a site visit that included IRB records review and interviews with over 30 individuals who are involved in the HRPP. I am very proud to have been a part of this significant achievement and to work with UNM’s amazing research community.”

“National accreditation from AAHRPP underscores the main campus IRB's commitment to rigorous standards for the protection of individuals & communities involved in human research as well as to our service to the research community,” said IRB Chair and Associate Professor Christine Mermier. “Organizations with accredited IRBs are also more likely to build public trust in research, as well as to develop a competitive advantage for funding organizations and regulatory agencies.”

“UNM Office of Research & Compliance and its Office of the IRB are committed to the continuous improvement of the HRPP and other research compliance programs, said Research Compliance Director Ana Andzic-Tomlinson. “The AAHRPP accreditation is evidence of our commitment to process improvement and the highest level of quality in supporting the mission of protecting the rights and welfare of human research participants and fostering research integrity and ethics.”

To earn AAHRPP accreditation, organizations must demonstrate that they have built extensive safeguards into every level of their research operation and that they adhere to high standards for research. In today’s global, collaborative research enterprise, organizations increasingly rely on AAHRPP accreditation status to help identify trusted research partners.

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