RUMC earns AAHRPP accreditation

The Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs, Inc. (AAHRPP) has awarded Rush University Medical Center full accreditation for the next three years. Rush is one of the first academic medical centers in Illinois to receive the accreditation.

"The accreditation provides an important external endorsement by the people who benchmark research for the nation, that Rush's approach to research meets national best practices," said Dr. Larry Goodman, Rush CEO. "While many organizations meet government regulations regarding participant safety and welfare, Rush has met a higher standard, set by our peers in the national research community."

As a mandate from the Institute of Medicine to build public trust in clinical research, a nonprofit organization was established (AAHRPP). This institution accredits organizations conducting human research that can demonstrate that their research protections processes exceed the safeguards required by the U.S. government. Today, Rush joins 172 other leading research institutions in having earned AAHRPP's accreditation, which has emerged over the last 10 years as gold standard worldwide for clinical research quality.

"AAHRPP certification reaffirms that Rush is fully compliant with best research practices. It is a demonstration of our strong commitment to protecting research participants and promoting high-quality research," said Dr. James Mulshine, vice president for research at Rush. "Research is our best hope for understanding disease so we can find new prevention or treatment approaches. It's critical for research study volunteers to feel comfortable in agreeing to participate, and we hope this accreditation will further encourage more people to take part in this important endeavor," said Mulshine. "Without this vital relationship, it would be much more difficult to improve health outcomes."

Source: Rush University Medical Center