CINCINNATI, Dec. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Schulman Associates Institutional Review Board, Inc. announces the acquisition of Florida-based Independent Investigational Review Board, Inc. The transaction allows both organizations, which protect the rights of human research subjects, to provide a more comprehensive suite of review services for pharmaceutical, medical device, Contract Research Organization (CRO) and clinical research site customers.

“The strengths of the two organizations are remarkably complimentary,” said Michael Woods, President and CEO of Schulman. “We are very excited by the added resources and capabilities Independent brings to the combined company.”

With offices in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Plantation, Fla., the combined organization will provide the highest level of quality research review services for a very broad range of therapeutic areas and types of human subject research. Separately, each organization is accredited by Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP), and each has a clean recent audit history with Food and Drug Administration. Both organizations, in business more than 20 years, also enjoy strong reputations for performing thoughtful and rigorous reviews while providing the highest level of customer service available.

“Joining with Schulman allows Independent to provide the advantages of enhanced WebPortal and IT features to our established customer base,” said Kim Lerner, outgoing CEO of Independent.

Anita McSharry, former president of Independent, added, “This is a perfect example of one plus one equaling far more than two. The benefits extend to every research site, sponsor and CRO that uses our services. The employees of both companies also benefit from the additional resources that allow them to accomplish their mission to protect the rights of human research subjects more efficiently than ever.”

To learn more about the resources and services available from Schulman Associates IRB, visit Schulman at http://www.sairb.com or contact Stephanie Pyle at SPyle@sairb.com.

About Schulman Associates IRB, Inc.
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.