Program Overview

• Mission
• Organizational Structure
• Program Elements

Mission

The UB Human Research Protection Program endeavors to ensure that the rights and well-being of research volunteers are protected to the greatest extent possible. Toward this end all involved in human research at UB must complete initial training in human research subjects protection and are afforded opportunities for continuing education. No research involving human beings can commence until it has been approved by one of UB's Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) comprised of faculty peers and community members. IRBs are authorized to approve, modify or reject proposed research on the basis of the potential risks and benefits to prospective research subjects. IRBs review active research studies on at least an annual basis and may modify or suspend a study if it is learned that risks to subjects are greater than initially understood. The final component of the UB Human Research Protection Program is quality assessment/quality improvement (QA/QI). The QA/QI administrator collaborates with investigators, research volunteers and administrators to improve all aspects of UB's effort to uphold the highest ethical standards and to meet regulatory requirements. In sum, the UB Human Research Program strives to uphold the principle enunciated by the 1964 World Medical Organization in the Declaration of Helsinki: "In research on man, the interest of science and society should never take precedence over considerations related to the well-being of the subject.

Organizational Structure

Program Elements

Human Research Subjects Protection Program Components