Washington, DC, July 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) today announced that all ACRP Certification examinations will transition to the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) Guideline for Good Clinical Practice E6(R3), making the updated guideline the reference standard for all certification candidates testing beginning on July 15, 2026.
ICH E6(R3) represents the most significant update to international Good Clinical Practice guidance in nearly a decade, emphasizing quality by design, risk-based approaches, participant protection, and technology-enabled trial conduct.
To ensure ACRP Certification remains aligned with current industry standards and best practices, ACRP accelerated its ICH E6(R3) integration timeline and engaged 100 subject matter experts to review and refine exam content. Extensive exam development and pre-testing activities conducted throughout 2025 and 2026 helped ensure a seamless transition to the updated standard.
“ACRP Certification is recognized as the gold standard for the clinical research industry,” said Robert O’Connor, CCRA, ACRP-CP, FACRP, Chair of ACRP’s Academy Board of Trustees. “The transition to ICH E6(R3) ensures that ACRP-certified professionals continue to demonstrate the knowledge and competencies needed to support high-quality clinical trials, protect study participants, and maintain the integrity of research data.”
Since 1992, more than 45,000 professionals from 100 countries have come to trust ACRP Certification as the mark of excellence in clinical research. ACRP offers four certification programs—ACRP Certified Professional (ACRP-CP®), Certified Clinical Research Associate (CCRA®), Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC®), and Certified Principal Investigator (CPI®)—as well as two specialty credentials: ACRP Medical Device Professional (ACRP-MDP®) and ACRP Project Manager (ACRP-PM®).
Supporting Industry Adoption of ICH E6(R3)
To facilitate implementation of the revised guideline across the clinical research community, ACRP updated 14 training courses and expanded educational resources focused on the practical application of ICH E6(R3) in real-world settings.
The courses cover topics ranging from foundational Good Clinical Practice and informed consent to protocol design, quality management systems, recruitment strategies, decentralized clinical trials, adverse event reporting, and more.
To further support the industry, ACRP’s Guidelines and Regulations Resource Center provides open access to ICH guidance documents, implementation tools, gap assessments, comparison resources, webinars, white papers, and commentary designed to help clinical research professionals understand and apply evolving regulatory expectations.
“Successfully implementing ICH E6(R3) requires more than awareness—it requires education, practical application, and ongoing professional development,” said David Vulcano, MSW, MBA, CIP, RAC, FACRP, Chief Executive Officer of ACRP. “ACRP is committed to providing the resources clinical research professionals need to navigate these changes with confidence.”
More information about ACRP Certification is available at acrpnet.org/certification.
- ACRP Guidelines and Regulations Resource Center
- ACRP Certification Professional Testimonial