AAHRPP will accredit the HRPP of any eligible organization that seeks accreditation (as below).

Common organizations that seek accreditation include, but are not limited to:

Academic institutions: A single, free-standing university, college, medical school, or other professional school is an accreditable organization. An academic institution often applies for accreditation as a whole unit regardless of the number of institutional review boards/ethics committees (IRBs/ECs) or separate schools within the university. In some cases, academic institutions choose to separately accredit different distinct components within the institution (e.g., separate main campus accreditation and medical school accreditation). AAHRPP's policy is to accredit an academic institution’s entire HRPP rather than to accredit only the IRBs/ECs.

In large university systems, individual campuses that are functionally distinct with a chief executive officer (e.g., Chancellor or President) may apply for accreditation as individual entities. Each institution (typically, an individual campus) applies for accreditation as a whole unit regardless of the number of IRBs/ECs or separate schools within the entity. If a university system as a whole wishes to apply for accreditation, AAHRPP will consider such requests.

Contract research organizations: A contract research organization (CRO) is an accreditable organization. CROs provide services to sponsors or other organizations related to research studies, such as trial and data management, regulatory and compliance support, and participant recruitment. The CRO applies for accreditation as a whole unit regardless of the number separate departments within the organization.

Government agencies: An agency within a department that has its own director, commissioner, or administrator is an accreditable organization. The agency applies for accreditation as a whole unit regardless of the number of IRBs/ECs or separate units within the agency. In rare exceptions, smaller units within an agency may be accepted as an accreditable organization if the agency can demonstrate that each smaller unit has its own organizationally separate HRPP.

Hospital or Health system: A standalone hospital is an accreditable organization. A health system that is a group of healthcare organizations (e.g., physician practices, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities) may also be accredited. Hospitals/health care systems may have Research Institutes that are founded primarily or solely to support or conduct research. A health system may apply for accreditation as a whole unit regardless of the number of hospitals or healthcare organizations or, in some cases, a health system may apply for accreditation for a distinct region, campus, or group. Individual hospitals that are functionally separate may apply individually.

Independent Review Boards (IRBs) or Independent Ethics Committees (ECs): An IRB/EC, either non-profit or for-profit, that does not conduct research and generally is not owned or operated by the research organization for which it provides review services is an accreditable organization. These organizations are sometimes referred to as commercial IRBs/ECs, but also may be nonprofit organizations. IRBs/ECs embedded within the organization that may conduct research (such as academic organizations, hospitals, or health systems) are not considered independent IRBs or ECs. The independent IRB/EC applies for accreditation as a whole unit. Independent IRBs/ECs that apply for accreditation must be able to meet the Accreditation Standards in all three domains, as applicable.

Industry sponsor: A company, institution, or organization, responsible for the discovery, development, production, and marketing of new drugs, biologics, vaccines, and/or medical devices, and that takes responsibility for the initiation, management, and/or financing of clinical trials is an accreditable organization. The entity may apply for accreditation as a whole unit regardless of the number of separate departments within the entity. In large entities, individual divisions or facilities, or distinct subsidiaries, regions, or campuses that are functionally separate may apply individually.

Dedicated research sites: A dedicated research site whose primary function is to conduct research (e.g., recruiting research participants, obtaining informed consent, performing protocol-required study procedures) is an accreditable organization. Generally, the research site applies for accreditation as a whole unit regardless of the number of facilities that it has engaged to conduct research. Research sites that apply for accreditation must be able to meet the Accreditation Standards in all three domains, as applicable.