FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015
Contact: Dave Wellman, Director of Communications, 304-696-7153

Marshall receives national reaccreditation for its Human Research Protection Program

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall University has received a national reaccreditation for its Human Research Protection Program. 

In 2007, Marshall was the first institution in West Virginia to receive this prestigious accreditation and this is the second reaccreditation of its program.  The accreditation was obtained through the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP), a nonprofit agency that evaluates organizations that conduct human research, according to Dr. Bruce Day, director of the Office of Research Integrity at MU.

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.

“This reaccreditation shows that Marshall University is committed to the most comprehensive protections for research participants as well as the highest quality research,” Day said. “This reaccreditation continues to show that Marshall strives to go beyond what is required by law to protect human participants and ensure integrity in research.” 

Day said some required training was conducted before the reaccreditation was awarded to Marshall.

The types of research range from cancer studies to the study of new medical devices and social and behavioral studies, among others.  The University Human Research Protection Program also covers research conducted at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, the Huntington VA Medical Center, St. Mary’s Medical Center and Cabell Huntington Hospital.

“The AAHRPP reaccreditation of the Marshall University Human Research Protection program is a credit to the faculty who conduct human subject research at Marshall and our partner hospitals, our Office of Research Integrity and the faculty and community volunteers who staff our internal review boards,” said Dr. John Maher, MU’s vice president for research. “Marshall is committed to adhering to the highest standards in the conduct of research, and we look forward to working closely with our partners at the VA, Cabell Huntington and St. Mary’s hospitals to maintain this prestigious and rigorous accreditation.”

The MU Human Research Protection Program is overseen by the Office of Research Integrity.

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Date Posted: Thursday, October 8, 2015