DOE Human Subjects Resources
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Achieves First Human Subjects Accreditation in DOE
PNNL, under the leadership of Sherry Davis, Manager, Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) and Institutional Review Board (IRB), is the first Department of Energy Laboratory to complete to a multiyear-long effort to successfully obtain accreditation by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs, Inc. (AAHRPP), a nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.
For PNNL, accreditation is “a visible way of demonstrating that we value research protections for human subjects and that we are worthy of our clients’ confidence and collaboration in research,” says Sherry Davis. “It was important to our laboratory to take our place among institutions that have earned this prestigious distinction.” The decision to seek accreditation came at the urging of DOE and the PNNL Laboratory Director and was supported at all levels, by management, researchers, and IRB members and support staff.(http://www.pnl.gov/hs/) “We are very serious about promoting quality improvement for all activities conducted at our Laboratory,” Ms. Davis says. “While we recognize that our Human Research Protection Program will always be a work in progress, accreditation is a significant milestone and an affirmation of our efforts.”
To qualify for accreditation, the PNNL HRPP met 77 standards and principles established by AAHRPP for five specific domains which include the Institution, the IRB, investigators, research sponsors, subjects and the community.
Institutions that obtain accreditation with AAHRPP are able to:
- Demonstrate to sponsors that their organization values research protections, follows regulatory requirements, and has an efficient, streamlined human research protection system.
- Demonstrate to potential human subjects that their organization is committed to protecting the rights and welfare of subjects.
- Attract high-quality investigators who can have confidence in the IRB and in an organization that supports human subject research.
- Increase their efficiency and reduce costs by streamlining operations and eliminating duplicative efforts.
- Foster alliances with other accredited and like-minded organizations.
PNNL, through the tireless efforts of Sherry Davis, has established itself as a model for accreditation for other DOE Laboratories as well as for other government agency facilities.