Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs

What Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs does

The Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) is an independent, non-profit accrediting body founded in 2001 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. AAHRPP accredits Human Research Protection Programs (HRPPs) at academic institutions, hospitals, independent IRBs, government/VA facilities, contract research organizations, and dedicated research institutes, using a voluntary, peer-driven, educational model. As of 2026, the organization accredits over 250 organizations across 16+ countries and is recognized as the "gold seal" for HRPP quality.

The accreditation process is structured in six stages: self-assessment against AAHRPP's Evaluation Instrument, application development, written materials evaluation, practice evaluation (on-site or virtual site visits), Council on Accreditation review, and organizational response. Reaccreditation occurs three years after initial accreditation and every five years thereafter. AAHRPP supports accredited organizations with resources including Tipsheets, FAQs, Educational Videos, HRPP Performance Metrics, and the Collaborative AAHRPP Network (CAN), and engages the broader community through free "Ask AAHRPP" webinars, paid HRPP Innovations webinars, an annual conference offering CIP credits, and the Advance Newsletter.

AAHRPP generates revenue primarily through application fees and annual fees from accredited organizations (recurring subscription model), supplemented by paid educational programs (HRPP Innovations webinar series, annual conference). The organization operates with 11-50 employees and is governed by a Board of Directors, Council on Accreditation, and peer reviewer network drawn from leading U.S. and international research institutions. Elyse I. Summers, JD has served as President and CEO since 2013.

Name

Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs

Legal name

Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs, Inc. ®

Website

https://aahrpp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AAHRPP is an independent, non-profit accrediting body that evaluates Human Research Protection Programs at academic institutions, hospitals, independent IRBs, and research organizations globally, recognized as the "gold seal" of HRPP quality with 250+ accredited entities across 16+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Accreditation Fees: Organizations seeking AAHRPP accreditation pay application fees and annual fees. Accredited organizations renew their accreditations three years after initial accreditation and every five years thereafter by performing the same self-assessment and gap analysis required for the initial application. The organization is a non-profit entity.
2. Educational Programs and Webinars: AAHRPP offers free 'Ask AAHRPP' webinars and paid HRPP Innovations webinar series covering various aspects of the accreditation process and human research protection topics. The annual conference provides educational programming with CIP credits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

AAHRPP provides voluntary, peer-driven accreditation for Human Research Protection Programs (HRPPs) through a multi-stage evaluation process consisting of self-assessment, application development, written materials review, on-site or virtual practice (site visit) evaluation, and Council on Accreditation review. The organization supports this accreditation with proprietary evaluation instruments, procedural frameworks, webinars, an annual conference, and the Collaborative AAHRPP Network for peer collaboration among accredited organizations.

Product overview

AAHRPP (Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs) is a non-profit accrediting body that provides a voluntary, peer-driven, educational accreditation model for Human Research Protection Programs (HRPPs). The organization does not offer a technology product in the traditional sense; rather, it provides accreditation services supported by various resources including the Evaluation Instrument for Accreditation, Accreditation Procedures, Tipsheets, FAQs, and Educational Videos. The core offering is the accreditation program itself, which involves a multi-step process including self-assessment, application review, written materials evaluation, practice/site visit evaluation, Council on Accreditation review, and response to Council review. AAHRPP also offers complementary educational services through its Ask AAHRPP and HRPP Innovations webinar series, an Annual Conference, and the Collaborative AAHRPP Network (CAN) for peer collaboration among accredited organizations. The organization publishes the Advance Newsletter and provides HRPP Performance Metrics for benchmarking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AAHRPP Accreditation Services Voluntary, peer-driven accreditation program ensuring Human Research Protection Programs (HRPPs) meet rigorous standards for quality and protection of research participants. The multi-stage process includes self-assessment, application development, written materials evaluation, practice/site visit evaluation, Council on Accreditation review, and response processes. Designed for academic medical centers, hospitals, independent IRBs, government/VA facilities, contract research organizations, and research institutes worldwide.
• Annual AAHRPP Conference Annual conference featuring plenary sessions on pressing topics and pre-conference tracks including the Collaborative AAHRPP Network (CAN) for accredited organizations. Sessions are eligible for CIP credits and provide networking opportunities.
• Ask AAHRPP Webinar Series Free educational webinar series featuring AAHRPP staff discussing different aspects of the accreditation process, including self-assessment, application building, evaluation of written materials, site visits, and Council review.
• HRPP Innovations Webinar Series Interactive paid educational webinars sharing innovations and best practices from AAHRPP-accredited organizations, covering topics like AI in IRB review, participant outreach, researcher education, and diversity in research.
• Collaborative AAHRPP Network (CAN) Network of accredited organizations that collaborate on pressing matters affecting the research community, including accreditation standards, metrics, quality assessment, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives. The network meets annually as part of the pre-conference track.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250 organizations currently accredited in good standing across multiple countries
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Joint Commission: The Joint Commission is the dominant U.S. healthcare accreditation body for hospitals and academic medical centers. It is a direct peer because many of AAHRPP's accredited institutions (e.g., Mass General Brigham, Cleveland Clinic, Tampa General) are also Joint Commission-accredited, and both organizations provide independent third-party quality oversight to overlapping customers.
• URAC: URAC is an independent, non-profit healthcare accreditation organization offering accreditation programs across health plans, pharmacy, telehealth, and clinical services. It is a direct peer to AAHRPP in operating model (voluntary, peer-driven, standards-based healthcare accreditation with annual fees), though operating in adjacent rather than HRPP-specific verticals.
• CARF International: CARF International is an independent, non-profit accreditor of health and human services providers, including rehabilitation, behavioral health, and aging services. It is comparable to AAHRPP as a peer-driven, voluntary accreditation body serving mission-driven organizations with recurring accreditation fees and peer site visitors.
• NCQA (National Committee for Quality Assurance): NCQA is a leading U.S. healthcare accreditation and quality measurement organization, accrediting health plans, provider organizations, and credentialing bodies. It is comparable to AAHRPP as a peer-driven, non-profit accreditation body focused on healthcare quality, with a similar reliance on standards-setting and recurring revenue from accredited entities.
• ACHC (Accreditation Commission for Health Care): ACHC is a non-profit healthcare accreditation organization offering programs for home health, hospice, infusion, and other clinical services. It is a direct peer to AAHRPP in serving mission-driven healthcare organizations with voluntary accreditation and recurring revenue from annual fees and reaccreditation cycles.
• Council on Accreditation (COA): COA is an international, non-profit accrediting body for human and social services organizations, including behavioral health, child and family services, and community-based programs. It is comparable to AAHRPP as an independent, peer-driven non-profit that develops standards and accredits service-providing organizations via multi-stage review.

Emerging players

• CITI Program (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative): CITI Program provides research ethics and compliance training used by many AAHRPP-accredited institutions for human subjects research training. It is comparable as an adjacent player in the human research protection ecosystem, though focused on training rather than accreditation, and represents either a partner or partial substitute for some AAHRPP educational offerings.
• PRIM&R (Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research): PRIM&R is a non-profit organization advancing ethical research through education, membership, and advocacy for the research protection community. It is comparable to AAHRPP as an adjacent player serving the same HRPP professional community through conferences, webinars, and certification, though not a direct accreditation competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs