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Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research

EIN 04-2583057 · Boston, MA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PRIM&R ADVANCES THE HIGHEST ETHICAL STANDARDS IN THE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH. PRIM&R ACCOMPLISHES THIS MISSION THROUGH EDUCATION, MEMBERSHIP SERVICES, PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION, PUBLIC POLICY INITIATIVES AND COMMUNITY BUILDING.

Income
$4.0 million
Spending
$4.3 million
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
23.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 82%
Employees
25
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$214,972, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 23.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 25% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 16 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $1.7 million spent. CONFERENCES:PRIM&R'S CONFERENCES SERVE AS AN OPEN AND INDEPENDENT FORUM IN WHICH STAKEHOLDERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING THOSE REPRESENTING RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, HOSPITALS, UNIVERSITIES, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES, AND ADVOCACY GROUPS, COME TOGETHER TO CONSIDER KEY ISSUES RELATED TO HUMAN SUBJECTS AND ANIMAL RESEARCH. OUR CONFERENCES ADDRESS THE LATEST ETHICAL, REGULATORY, AND POLICY-RELATED DEVELOPMENTS IN BIOMEDICAL, SOCIAL SCIENCE, BEHAVIORAL, AND EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AS WELL AS IN ANIMAL CARE AND USE. SPEAKERS AND PRESENTERS ARE LEADERS IN THE FIELDS OF RESEARCH, BIOETHICS, AND SCIENCE POLICY.PRIM&R'S CONFERENCES AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL EVENTS ARE THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR COMMITMENT TO "CONNECTING AND PROTECTING" - CONNECTING THOSE WHO WORK IN THE FIELD OF RESEARCH AND PROTECTING THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE AS RESEARCH SUBJECTS. THROUGH THESE EVENTS, PRIM&R PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STAKEHOLDERS TO COME TOGETHER TO CONSIDER COMPLEX AND CHALLENGING ISSUES.CONFERENCE ATTENDEES INCLUDE RESEARCHERS AND RESEARCH STAFF, INSTITUTIONAL OFFICIALS, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL, SUBJECT ADVOCATES, ACADEMICS, POLICY MAKERS, PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGY LEADERS, AND ATTORNEYS, AS WELL AS CHAIRS, MEMBERS, AND STAFF OF INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARDS AND INSTITUTIONAL ANIMAL CARE AND USE COMMITTEES.
  2. $483,326 spent. MEMBERSHIP:PRIM&R STRIVES TO ENHANCE SUBJECT PROTECTIONS AND THE RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH BY SUPPORTING THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF OUR MORE THAN 3,000 MEMBERS WHO ARE BASED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. OUR MEMBERS ARE RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND ADMINISTRATORS, RESEARCHERS AND RESEARCH STAFF, INSTITUTIONAL OFFICIALS, GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES, AND OTHER POLICY MAKERS, SUBJECT ADVOCATES, ETHICISTS, PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGY PERSONNEL, AND ATTORNEYS. IN ADDITION TO A RANGE OF RESOURCES THAT FOSTER NETWORKING AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH - INCLUDING MENTORING, VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS, AND MEMBERS-ONLY PUBLICATIONS - MEMBERS RECEIVE DISCOUNTS ON ALL OF PRIM&R'S CONFERENCES, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND OTHER INITIATIVES, ALLOWING THEM TO RECEIVE CRITICAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND WORKPLACE RESOURCES AT AN AFFORDABLE COST.
  3. $470,271 spent. CERTIFICATION:PRIM&R'S CERTIFICATION INITIATIVES FOR INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD (IRB) PROFESSIONALS - THE CERTIFIED IRB PROFESSIONAL (CIP) CREDENTIAL - AND FOR INSTITUTIONAL ANIMAL CARE AND USE COMMITTEE (IACUC) PROFESSIONALS - THE CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL IACUC ADMINISTRATOR (CPIA) CREDENTIAL - STRENGTHEN THE QUALITY OF INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARDS (IRBS) AND INSTITUTIONAL ANIMAL CARE AND USE COMMITTEES (IACUCS) BY ESTABLISHING AN ACCEPTED BODY OF KNOWLEDGE AND NATIONAL STANDARDS OF PRACTICE FOR IRB AND IACUC ADMINISTRATION. THE CREDENTIALS CONSTITUTE FORMAL RECOGNITION OF A PROFESSIONAL'S KNOWLEDGE AND QUALIFIED EXPERIENCE, FAMILIARITY WITH BEST PRACTICES, AND EXPERTISE.
  4. $472,787 spent. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS:EDUCATION IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF CREATING AND SUSTAINING SUCCESSFUL, HIGH-QUALITY, AND ETHICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS, AND PRIM&R IS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED TO BE THE PREMIER EDUCATOR IN THE RESEARCH ETHICS AND OVERSIGHT FIELD.PRIM&R'S HIGHEST PRIORITY HAS BEEN PROVIDING THOSE CHARGED WITH ENSURING RESEARCH PROTECTIONS, AS WELL AS THOSE INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RESEARCH PROTOCOLS, WITH KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICAL TOOLS, AND CUTTING-EDGE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THE WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES THEY FACE WHEN DESIGNING AND REVIEWING RESEARCH WITH HUMAN SUBJECTS AND ANIMALS.PRIM&R'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING IS TAUGHT BY PROFESSIONALS WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELDS, WHO THUS PROVIDE PARTICIPANTS WITH BALANCED, THOROUGH, AND ACCURATE INFORMATION ON THE FULL RANGE OF ETHICAL AND REGULATORY ISSUES SURROUNDING HUMAN SUBJECTS AND ANIMAL RESEARCH. PRIM&R EVENTS ARE ALSO KNOWN TO BE GATHERINGS THAT FOSTER THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AMONG PEERS, WHERE ALL STAKEHOLDERS UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE PART OF A LARGER COMMUNITY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO SHARE AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER'S PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGES AND PURSUITS. PRIM&R'S PROGRAMMING INCLUDES WEBINARS, ONLINE COURSES, WORKSHOPS, AND PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES.PUBLIC POLICY:THROUGH OUR PUBLIC POLICY EFFORTS, PRIM&R TRACKS UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONAL POLICY INITIATIVES AND PROPOSED POLICY CHANGES AND DEVELOPS ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMENTS ON PARTICULAR POLICIES RELEVANT TO PRIM&R'S MISSION.PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES:PRIM&R'S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES INCORPORATE PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR MEMBERS AS WELL AS THE BROADER PRIM&R COMMUNITY. THEY INCLUDE ONLINE NETWORKING AND RESOURCES, A CAREER CENTER, AND SERVE AS AN INCUBATOR FOR FUTURE PROGRAMS AND MEMBERSHIP SERVICES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1976.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

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