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The Office of
TO: Deans, Directors & Department Heads, All Faculty Members
FROM: Robert Shelton, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
Tony Waldrop, Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development
DATE: September 30, 2004
SUBJECT: Office of Human Research Ethics
We are pleased to announce important changes in our campus-wide program for oversight of research that involves human subjects.
Our network of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) evolved over several decades in a decentralized manner, with eight IRBs operating out of five separate school-based offices. The volume and complexity of research reviewed by these IRBs have grown considerably, a positive reflection of growth in the university research effort. Our IRBs are now collectively responsible for over 4000 studies, and external regulatory requirements have also increased. In order to provide excellent service to the Carolina research community and to fulfill these important ethical and regulatory obligations, we have reorganized the administrative structure of this oversight system.
All existing IRB operations have now been integrated into a single Office of Human Research Ethics (OHRE), reporting to the Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development. Daniel Nelson, formerly director of the School of Medicine IRBs and a national leader in this field, has been appointed director of this new centralized unit.
The overarching goal of reorganization is to maximize protection of human research subjects at Carolina. OHRE will support this goal through the effective and efficient use of campus resources, increased capacity and accountability, and standardization of best practices. Much work has already occurred over the past year, building the necessary infrastructure to meet current needs and support future enhancements. The next phase of reorganization will produce changes more visible to the research community, and you will soon be hearing more about these. Program upgrades will include common application and consent forms, web site, information management system, standard operating procedures, and enhanced training. All of these changes will support our goal of obtaining national accreditation for our human research protection program.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we work to facilitate research at Carolina.