The Research Subjects Protection Office (RSPO) is the administrative office for the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Kaiser Permanente Northwest (KPNW).
The IRB is a committee of medical, scientific, nonscientific, and community members whose mission is to protect the rights and welfare of individuals participating in research studies at Kaiser Permanente.
Federal regulations and KP policy prohibit the involvement of human subjects in research until the IRB has reviewed and approved the research, including the protocol and informed consent process. The IRB has the responsibility and authority to verify whether projects qualify as human subjects research or are exempt from IRB review.
The RSPO provides guidance for investigators and research staff on federal and state regulations and KPNW policies that govern research with humans. The RSPO also monitors and documents all regional research to ensure that research complies with all federal, state, and KPNW regulatory requirements.
IRB Membership Roster
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