THE PRIVACY BOARD
The Privacy Board was founded to help researchers meet the privacy requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). These requirements, which had to be implemented by April 14, 2003, may affect any research that uses certain protected health data. Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, any research that involves protected health information, regardless of the source of funding, must be authorized by the individuals whose health data they intend to use, or the researcher must obtain a Waiver of Authorization. The Privacy Board was specifically established to review requests for a Waiver of Authorization.

Founded by New England Institutional Review Board (NEIRB), The Privacy Board is the first independent board created to meet the requirements for research utilizing protected health information. The Privacy Board is composed of individuals experienced in reviewing a wide variety of clinical research, including research involving confidential and sensitive health information. It is the most efficient and cost-effective resource for any organization engaged in research involving protected health information and data.