Direct comparison
AAHRPP vs. AAALAC: Human vs. Animal Research
AAHRPP accredits human research protection programs (IRBs); AAALAC accredits animal care and use programs (IACUCs). Compare scope, process, and standards.
Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
Ask CASRAI · included with Regulatory Radar
Ask about AAHRPP vs. AAALAC: Human vs. Animal Research
Ask CASRAI answers research-administration questions and cites the passages behind every claim — and says so when the corpus does not cover something, instead of guessing. It comes with a Regulatory Radar subscription at $29 a month, alongside the daily digest of regulatory changes and the dashboard of what changed.
150 questions a day, on this site, over the API, or inside your own tools through the CASRAI MCP server.
Everything CASRAI publishes — this page, the dictionary, the guides and the news — stays free to read, with no account and no card.
How do AAHRPP, AAALAC International compare side by side?
The table below compares AAHRPP, AAALAC International across 8 procurement-relevant dimensions, from what it accredits through legally required?.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | AAHRPP | AAALAC International |
|---|---|---|
| What it accredits | An institution's entire Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) | An institution's entire animal care and use program |
| Research population covered | Human research participants | Live vertebrate research animals |
| Institutional committee evaluated | Institutional Review Board(s) (IRB) | Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) |
| Founded | 2001 | 1965 (renamed 1996; current name since 2016) |
| Standards evaluated against | AAHRPP's published accreditation standards (Organization, IRB/Ethics Committee, Researchers and Research Staff domains) | Three Primary Standards: the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, the Ag Guide, and European Convention ETS 123 |
| Review cycle | Self-assessment, application, peer document review, site visit, Council on Accreditation decision; recurring reaccreditation | Program Description plus on-site visit roughly every three years, Council on Accreditation decision |
| Underlying mandatory regulation | Common Rule (45 CFR 46) and applicable FDA human-subjects rules | Animal Welfare Act (USDA/APHIS) and PHS Policy (NIH OLAW) |
| Legally required? | No -- voluntary | No -- voluntary |
Common questions
Common questions about AAHRPP vs AAALAC International
Is AAHRPP the animal-research version of AAALAC, or vice versa?
+
No -- they are parallel bodies covering different populations. AAHRPP accredits human research protection programs; AAALAC accredits animal care and use programs. An institution pursues each separately.
Can one office or committee hold both accreditations?
+
Not as a single accreditation. The IRB and IACUC are distinct committees under distinct regulations, and AAHRPP and AAALAC each accredit their respective side independently, though a large institution can hold both at once.
Is either accreditation legally required to conduct research?
+
No. Neither is required by US law or federal funding regulations -- institutions can be fully compliant with the Common Rule or the Animal Welfare Act/PHS Policy without ever seeking accreditation from either body.
