In the recent past, several major research institutions have been cited by the federal Office for Human Research Protection (OHRP), formerly OPRR, for non-compliance with federal regulations regarding the use of human subjects in research. Though the sanctions have differed somewhat at each institution, all temporarily lost the privilege to conduct research using human subjects due to areas of non-compliance and most temporarily lost their ability to expend federal funds from grants and contracts. Despite these differences, OHRP cited some common areas in which each sanctioned institution was in non-compliance. One of these areas was educational training for all IRB members of the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects (IRB) and Investigators involved in human subject research.
OHRP requires a formal education program for all investigators using human subjects in research. In addition, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will require proof of human subject research education for all key personnel on any NIH funded project effective October 1, 2000. Therefore, SPARCS has added links to numerous, well established tutorial and examination sites for use by IRB Members and all Faculty and Staff Investigators who currently are conducting, who plan to conduct, or who plan to advise a student who will conduct human subject research. If a Faculty or Staff Investigator does not undergo one of the tutorial systems, he or she will not be allowed to submit an application to the Institutional Review Board for approval to conduct human subject research at North Carolina State University. Likewise, any student advisor listed on an IRB application must have completed a tutorial for the application to receive IRB review.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Dr. David Kaber, Chair, NCSU Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects or Mr. Matthew Ronning, Associate Vice Chancellor for Sponsored Programs and Regulatory Compliance Services.