Schulman Associates IRB offers oncology-focused review board

CINCINNATI, June 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The fight against cancer continues to be an ongoing challenge for many patients, their families, healthcare providers and economies worldwide. Although significant progress has been made, many forms of the disease remain a public health issue.

According to PhRMA, American biopharma research companies are testing 981 medicines and vaccines to fight the many types of cancer affecting millions of patients. All of the medicines are either in clinical trials or awaiting review by the Food and Drug Administration (phrma.org).

In response to the recent increases in oncology research conducted in North America, Schulman Associates IRB now offers a weekly Board meeting dedicated to the review of oncology research. The new Board's membership consists of a variety of oncology experts, who were carefully recruited from prestigious, nationally recognized research centers, and specifically selected based on their qualifications. Concentrations include pediatric oncology, radiation oncology, oncology research administration and more. The Schulman Oncology Board will meet weekly beginning July 23 and will be one of the leading oncology Boards in North America.

Oncology Board members will also lend their expertise to Schulman's regular Board meetings, as needed. Additional submission materials are not required to take advantage of the Oncology Board's services. Review turnaround times for the Oncology Board will remain consistent with Schulman's standard, competitive timelines.

"This enhanced Board expertise and dedicated additional Board meeting underscore Schulman's commitment to growth and improvement," said Michael Woods, Schulman's president and CEO. "We are delighted to be able to offer an unsurpassed level of service and expertise to our clients who are working to develop new cancer therapies and diagnostics."

The Oncology Board will review both industry-sponsored research as well as federally funded research. As with Schulman's other Review Boards, the Oncology Board will oversee research conducted at universities, hospital systems, community practices and other research sites.

For more information about the Oncology Board, please contact Stephanie Pyle at [email protected].

About Schulman Associates IRB
Schulman Associates Institutional Review Board, Inc. ("Schulman") is an independent IRB that has more than 25 years of experience in reviewing research protocols and consent documents to evaluate compliance with relevant regulations and ethical guidelines. As an independent IRB, Schulman is not part of an institution such as an academic medical center or hospital. Schulman can provide IRB services for single and multi-site studies within the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.  In June 2011, Schulman was awarded full five-year reaccreditation by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP). The Accreditation by AAHRPP demonstrates its commitment to research ethics and human subject protection.

SOURCE Schulman Associates Institutional Review Board, Inc.