The University of Minnesota’s Human Research Protection Program’s reaccreditation was put on hold by the same group that managed a critical report of the school’s research practices earlier this year, the University announced Monday.
To regain its full accreditation, the University must submit quarterly reports through August 2016 and two additional reports to the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs Inc. to show compliance with standards the University does not currently meet.
AAHRPP, which accredits human research protection programs like the University’s, found that the University does not meet its standards in four areas, which include appropriate responses to the concerns of research participants and proper institutional review board evaluation of research protocols.
AAHRPP initially accredited the University in 2004.
The University’s program is presently classified as “Reaccreditation-Pending,” according to a letter AAHRPP sent to the University last month.
Accreditation is important in this area because researchers and participants want to know whether the University has proper practices in place for studies, said Dan Gilchrist, communications director for the University’s Office of the Vice President for Research.
Earlier this year, a string of harsh reports — including one managed by AAHRPP — prompted a swath of changes to how the University conducts research on human subjects.
Many of the reaccreditation concerns raised are already included in the dozens of changes scheduled to be implemented by June, according to a University press release.
