What is the relationship between the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center Medical Center
(VAMC) and the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) Office of Human Research
Protection (OHRP)?

The MCG OHRP leads the human research protection program at MCG and enjoys a
close working relationship with the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center.The OHPR missions of education and training, Institutional Review Board (IRB) support and Auditing and Compliance is
included in the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center Human Research Protection Program (HRPP).

Who is the IRB for the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center?

The Human Assurance Committee (HAC) serves as the institutional review board for the
Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center. The HAC has three VA members on
the Committee in compliance with Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Handbook
1200.5 Requirements for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research

Communications to the Associate Chief of Staff, Research and Development
(ACOS/R&D) and the Administrative Officer (AO)

The ACOS/R&D and the AO are provided copies of the HAC meeting minutes each
month.

In addition, the AO and the OHRP Director have a standing monthly meeting to increase
communication and awareness. The AO and the Director are in frequent email contact as
well as telephone contact. The OHRP Director and Assistant Director are frequently
invited to VHA teleconferences and materials are forwarded to the OHRP Director and
Assistant Director by the AO as it becomes available. This relationship is reciprocated
by the OHRP Director and Assistant Director.

Communications to the Research and Development (R&D) Committee

The AO is responsible for sharing items with the R&D Committee that relate to HAC or
compliance issues. The MCG Vice President for Research serves on the R&D
Committee as well as one of the HAC members who are also a VA employee. The
OHRP Director, Assistant Director and/or Education and Training Coordinator are
available on an as needed basis.

Education and Training for the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center

The OHRP Education and Training Coordinator works extensively with the AO to create
and implement appropriate training on the human research protection program. This
continues to evolve. The AO is given the opportunity to contribute to the monthly OHRP
“Tip of the Month” newsletter. The AO receives updates regarding the completion of the
HAC required training by Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center employees as needed. Augusta VAMC
employees are encouraged to attend research training workshops and seminars conducted
by OHRP.

OHRP and the AO conduct annual classroom-based research compliance update training
for Augusta VAMC employees. The education program is customized as needed to meet
the needs of the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center investigators.

Web Services for the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center

The OHRP Business Manager maintains the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center R&D Committee web
pages that relate to the human research protection program. These web pages are updated
by the Business Manager at the request of the AO and the approval of the OHRP Director
or Assistant Director.

Technology Service to the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center

In an effort to improve compliance and communication, HAC meeting minutes are
provided to the AO in an electronic format. Reports are also available on an as needed
basis to the AO for all protocols that use the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center as a performance site as well as those that use radiation or radioactive materials.