At Sentara Cardiovascular Research Institute, we comply with all federal regulations directing research conduct as well as with all human subject protection processes currently in place to guide clinical research trials. Each study in which we participate, meets the rigorous approval of an independent Institutional Review Board (IRB), a formal panel consisting of physicians, other health care professionals and lay people who carefully examine each study to make sure patients rights are protected and risks to trial participants are minimized.
The Institutional Review Boards that oversee the research efforts of Sentara Cardiovascular Research Institute are
Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) IRB, based in Norfolk, and
Chesapeake Research Review, Inc., based in Maryland.
EVMS IRB receives administrative support from the medical schools Office of Research. Each year, the EVMS IRB reviews nearly 300 protocols. Chesapeake Research Review, Inc. is a research and ethics review business as well as a risk management partner operating in the global research arena to support human research subjects' protections. They work hand-in-hand with industry, government, academic, and non-profit partners like Sentara Cardiovascular Research Institute to provide research oversight, consulting, training, and education. We appreciate the input, questions, support and guidance of the IRBs and recognize the important role they play in maximizing our research efforts.