March 24, 2000

BIRMINGHAM, AL — The federal Office for Protection from Research Risks (OPRR) has informed the University of Alabama at Birmingham that the university has “completed all required actions” to ensure the protection of human subjects involved in research at UAB.

In January 2000, UAB received notification from OPRR that it needed to conduct an additional review of some federally funded research projects involving human subjects.

OPRR told UAB today that the university “has developed satisfactory corrective action plans to address all deficiencies and concerns cited by OPRR, and to ensure that all IRB members, all IRB staff, and all investigators are appropriately educated, on an on-going basis, about the regulatory requirements for the protection of human subjects.” Additionally, OPRR has approved the rosters for UAB’s two Institutional Review Boards.

Dr. Joan Lorden, associate provost for research, said UAB was “elated by the speedy ‘all clear’ response” from OPRR, delivered just two months after the original notice from the federal office requiring the re-review.

“We are in the process of completing the re-review of human subject protocols, and expect that to be finished very soon,” Lorden said. “The health and welfare of our volunteers has always been our primary concern. We now have even stronger mechanisms in place for the administrative, record-keeping tasks related to research projects involving human participants.”

UAB receives almost $300 million in external funding for research, and is ranked 18th in the nation for research funding from the National Institutes of Health. OPRR oversees all institutions for compliance with Department of Health and Human Services regulations for protection of human research subjects. The IRB is a committee that reviews all UAB research involving human subjects.