Office of Human Research Protection

Prisma Health is committed to conducting and promoting scientifically and ethically sound research that will lead to improved prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. The Prisma Health Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP) provides the platform and the framework for the integration of key components of the organization that contribute to the protection of the rights and welfare of individuals participating in research.

The OHRP recognizes and engages the multiple systems and processes needed to conduct responsible human subject research and allows for more cohesive efforts toward this goal. This framework allows for more effective communication and collaboration among the component parts that contribute to participant safety.

The OHRP coordinates research policy with institutional policy, state and local laws, and federal regulations to assure that the rights and safety of individuals that participate in research conducted at Prisma Health.

The responsibility to protect the rights and welfare of human research subjects is codified in the Common Rule (21CFR 46) and other human subject regulation as established in the Code of Federal Regulations, the ethical principles defined in the Belmont Report and the Declaration of Helsinki.

The federal regulations governing human research grant the Institutional Review Board (IRB) an important charge to review and approve only research proposals the meet rigorous ethical and regulatory standards. The IRB provides ongoing oversight of approved research and is a key function of the OHRP.