Office of Research Oversight

** Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) - Updates from ORO Pertaining to VA Research (intranet site) **

Our Mission

The Office of Research Oversight (ORO) is dedicated to promoting the responsible conduct of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) research for the protection of Veterans and others who volunteer in VA research, and for the benefit of all Veterans whose health and well-being are improved by the discoveries made through a sound and ethically grounded VA research program.  ORO monitors, reviews, and investigates matters of research compliance that involve VA research.  Specifically, ORO provides oversight of compliance with VA and other Federal requirements for the protection of human research subjects, laboratory animal welfare, research safety, research laboratory security, research information security, and research misconduct.  ORO also provides training to facility Research Compliance Officers (RCO) and oversight of RCO auditing programs.

The creation of an "Office of Research Oversight" within the Veterans Health Administration was mandated under legislation signed by the President on December 6, 2003, as Public Law 108-170.  Per the statute, ORO reports directly to the Under Secretary for Health and serves as the primary VHA office for advising the Under Secretary on matters of research compliance.  The statute further provides that ORO shall function independently of entities within the Veterans Health Administration with responsibility for the conduct of medical research programs.

2020 Facility Director's Certification (FDC) of Research Oversight

The 2020 FDC is delayed to allow facility leadership and clinical staff to readily and appropriately respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Currently, ORO is working directly with facility Research Compliance Officers (RCOs) to obtain data pertaining to RCO audits completed during the June 1, 2019 - May 31, 2020 reporting period.  Information and submission documents for RCO audit data can be found at https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/VACOVHAORO/RCO/2020%20RCO%20Audit%20Data%20Reporting/Forms/AllItems.aspx (Note: this is an internal VA site). 

VA Research Concerns

Concerns related to VA research can often be resolved by contacting the VA Medical Center conducting the research.