Last summer, Drexel joined a very small club.
Fewer than 200 research organizations in the world are accredited by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP), including fewer than 100 academic institutions. After a rigorous process of training and evaluation, Drexel gained the accreditation over the summer.
What does that mean? Basically, better implementation of best practices for approving projects and protecting volunteers used in clinical research.
Drexel has 1,400 active research projects, and the participation of human volunteers can lead to advancements that save lives. But if something goes wrong, the consequences can be devastating for
the reputation of the sponsoring institution.
The accreditation makes research safer for volunteers, makes it easier for researchers to do research by standardizing the process, makes Drexel a more attractive partner for corporate R&D, and helps with grants and grad student development.