Mission Statement

The purpose of the Human Subjects Protection Office (HSPO) at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is threefold:

• Provide comprehensive protection to subjects who volunteer in human subjects research activities at this Institution

• Provide an educational and training program designed to educate the community, investigators, staff and patients in the safe and ethical conduct of research

• Assist researchers by monitoring current research activities to ensure the ethical conduct of human subjects research

The mission is accomplished by:

• Ensuring that research involving human subjects is reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board prior to initiation and that subsequent continuing review and monitoring takes place for approved studies

• Conducting seminars, online training and compliance activities that is required of researchers and staff

• Managing and performing a site visit and audit compliance program that applies to all research activity involving human subjects.   This program informs the Human Subjects Protection Office of the need for additional programs or policy development

• Achieving and maintaining accreditation from the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) which signifies that the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is committed to comprehensive protection for research participants and the highest quality research

These initiatives ensure that research activities are conducted in accordance with the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence and    justice as set forth in the Belmont Report, State and Federal regulation and in compliance with internal Beth Israel Deaconess policies.