New York State Department of Health Institutional Review Board Achieves AAHRPP Accreditation

New York is One of Only Two States to Receive Prestigious Designation

ALBANY, N.Y. (July 1, 2014) - The Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) has accredited the New York State Department of Health's (DOH) Institutional Review Board (IRB) for safeguarding human subjects of research. The AAHRPP accreditation demonstrates to researchers worldwide that New York State has a top-quality Institutional Review Board that exceeds government standards. DOH began the accreditation process in 2012.

DOH is one of only two state health departments in the U.S. to receive AAHRPP accreditation; the Florida Department of Health is also AAHRPP accredited. Across the country major independent IRBs; more than 60 percent of research-intensive universities and greater than 65 percent of medical schools have either earned AAHRPP accreditation or begun the process. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world's largest public funder of research, has also earned accreditation.

"This designation is the hallmark of our commitment to protect New York State residents and it recognizes our dedication to maintaining a superior research enterprise," said Acting State Health Commissioner, Dr. Howard Zucker. "This designation places DOH among the most esteemed research facilities around the globe."

DOH has extensive research programs that monitor and track disease as well as population health throughout New York State. The Wadsworth Center, the state's public health laboratory, alone brings in approximately $26 million annually for research-related activities. Most of the funds are from the federal government through the NIH, National Science Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Every AAHRPP accreditation signals an unwavering commitment to the global community—to all who participate in research and all who benefit from the knowledge gained," AAHRPP President and CEO Elyse Summers said.

To earn AAHRPP accreditation, organizations must demonstrate they have built extensive safeguards into every level of their research operations and 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.

About AAHRPP: 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.