UND's Human Research Protection Program re-accredited by AAHRPP The Division of Research at the University of North Dakota is pleased to announce that its Human Research Protection Program has been fully re-accredited for three years by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs, Inc. (AAHRPP). AAHRPP is a non-profit group that works with organizations that conduct research with human subjects to raise the level of protection for research participants. AAHRPP accredits organizations that can demonstrate they provide participant safeguards that surpass the threshold of state and federal requirements. For more information on AAHRPP and the accreditation process, visit www.aahrpp.org. Through the rigorous accreditation process, organizations must demonstrate that they have built extensive safeguards into every level of their research operation and that they adhere to the highest standards for research. AAHRPP's standards exceed federal regulations by requiring organizations to address conflict of interest, to provide community outreach and education and to apply the same stringent protections to all research involving human participants. (Under federal regulations, such protections are mandated only for federally sponsored or regulated research.) The accreditation process typically results in system-wide improvements that enhance protections for research participants and promote high-quality research. "Human subjects are an important part of research in many fields, ranging from psychology to human nutrition to pharmaceutical development and other clinical medical research," said Phyllis E. Johnson, Vice President for Research and Economic Development at UND. "All of this work ultimately serves to improve the health and well-being of people all across the United States. It's critically important to make sure that people who participate in such research studies do so in such a way as to involve minimum risk and maximum benefit. Our continuing accreditation is an indication that we have a first-class program to ensure that." The UND Human Research Protection Program currently oversees more than 600 ongoing research projects that involve human volunteers as subjects. AAHRPP accreditation recognizes UND's commitment to quality and accountability in its Human Research Protection Program, ensuring that all research participants receive the highest standard of protection.