Integrity and Misconduct in Research. Report of the Commission on Research211 Integrity

摘要

Congress created the Commission on Research Integrity in 1993 in response to211u001econtinuing controversy concerning the apparent inability of the scientific 211u001ecommunity and the Federal Government to deal adequately with misconduct in 211u001escientific research. The Commission's task was to advise the Secretary of Health 211u001eand Human Services and Congress about ways to improve the Public Health Service 211u001e(PHS) response to misconduct in biomedical and behavioral research receiving PHS 211u001efunding. Issues to be addressed included: (1) the definition of research 211u001emisconduct; (2) the assurance process for research institutions' compliance with 211u001eDHHS regulations; (3) the administrative processes of institutions and the PHS 211u001efor dealing with allegations of misconduct; (4) and the development of a 211u001eregulation to protect whistleblowers. The Commission's 12 members, chaired by Dr. 211u001eKenneth Ryan of Harvard University Medical School, were selected to include 211u001escientists, research misconduct investigators, administrators of research 211u001einstitutions, attorneys, and ethicists. The Commission held public meetings 211u001emonthly from June 1994 through October 1995, primarily in the Washington, D.C., 211u001emetropolitan area; regional public hearings were held in San Francisco, Chicago, 211u001eBoston, and Birmingham. These meetings and hearings elicited a range of opinion 211u001eand experience regarding weaknesses in current institutional and federal policies 211u001eand practices related to research misconduct, as well as suggestions for 211u001eimprovement. The Commission also consulted informally with relevant non-PHS 211u001efederal agencies, and with professional and scientific organizations.