The Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs has accredited three more organizations, including one of the nation's largest state health departments and India's national comprehensive cancer center. 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.

The newly accredited organizations are:

• New York State Department of Health, Albany, N.Y., including the Wadsworth Center for Laboratories and Research
• Sahyadri Hospital, Pune, India, including Sahyadri Clinical R&D Center, Sahyadri Speciality Hospital Deccan Gymkhana, Sahyadri Hospital Bopodi, Sahyadri Hospital Hadapsar, Sahyadri Hospital Kothrud, Sahyadri Munot Hospital Swargate, and Sahyadri Speciality Hospital Nagar Road
• Tata Memorial Center, Mumbai, India, the national comprehensive center for cancer prevention, treatment, education and research.

These accreditations reflect increasing acknowledgment, in the public and private sectors worldwide, that the AAHRPP gold seal is the mark of a quality human research program, where protecting participants is a shared responsibility—and a top priority.

"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," said Elyse Summers, AAHRPP president and CEO.

To earn AAHRPP accreditation, organizations must demonstrate 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.

To date, AAHRPP has accredited organizations in 46 states, Canada, China, India, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Taiwan. All major U.S. independent IRBs have earned AAHRPP accreditation. In addition, more than 60% of U.S. research-intensive universities and over 65% of U.S. medical schools are either AAHRPP accredited or have begun the accreditation process. The NIH has earned accreditation, as has Pfizer, the largest industry sponsor of clinical research.