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The Office Of Research Participant Advocacy

     The Office of Research Participant Advocacy (ORPA) ensures the safety and welfare of all participants in clinical research studies conducted at the GCRC while maximally facilitating the research process. The office enhances participant safety by providing guidance and education to investigators and research personnel in the area of ethics, research integrity, data and safety monitoring, adverse event reporting, and Good Clinical Practices (GCPs). This guidance includes providing practical recommendations and tracking mechanisms for participant safety, while adhering to federal, state, UCLA, GCRC, and sponsor regulations and guidelines. The office seeks to attain the highest ethical standards for participant safety and scientific integrity for all GCRC clinical research studies, while facilitating accessibility to office services by all investigators.

     ORPA is responsible for assuring that all GCRC studies have a Data and Safety Monitoring Plan (DSMP) in place, and, when appropriate, a Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), to monitor protocols. Such plans provide for the specialized review of enrollment and safety-related data including adverse event reporting. The Data and Safety Monitoring Program guidelines may be obtained here.

ORPA Personnel

    Dr. Stanley Korenman, M.D. Associate Dean of Ethics, is the Clinical Director of the office. He is responsible for the safety of the overall clinical functioning of the GCRC.

     Laurie Shaker-Irwin, Ph.D., Research Subject Advocate, manages the office and is responsible for developing programs and policies, educating and assisting study teams, and addressing participant issues.

    Questions related to Data and Safety Monitoring or advocacy issues may be directed to Dr. Shaker-Irwin by phone at 310-794-7504, e-mail lshakerirwin@mednet.ucla.edu.

 
  Last Updated on 6-16-08 Suggestions