research integrity is it just “adherence” to the regulations?
TRANSCRIPT
Research IntegrityResearch Integrity
Is it just “adherence” to the Is it just “adherence” to the regulations?regulations?
Academia……………Academia……………
"Scientists are not a special breed of human being," says Thomas Murray, president of the Hastings Center, a bioethics institute in Garrison, N.Y. "But they function in a special environment.... They are bright people working in a community where the best ideas rise to the top. If you're not in first place, you're no place.“ 1
ExamplesExamples
In October, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology fired a young biologist and promising immunology researcher. MIT officials say Luk Van Parijs was dismissed after he admitted to school investigators that he fabricated and altered evidence in research papers to support grant applications. 1
In March, a University of Vermont obesity scientist admitted faking data in order to buttress grant applications. (He netted $3 million in government grants.) Under a deal with US prosecutors, Eric Poehlman agreed to plead guilty to criminal fraud and to retract or correct several research papers. 1 1
““Scientists Behaving Badly” Scientists Behaving Badly” 2
Federal MandateFederal Mandate
42 C.F.R. Part 50--Policies of General Applicability
Subpart A--Responsibility of PHS Awardee and Applicant Institutions for Dealing With and Reporting Possible Misconduct in Science
What does it Say?What does it Say?
Institution must have misconduct policy if it accepts PHS funds
Institution’s policy must meet the minimum standard outlined in federal regs
Institution must have a Research Integrity Officer who acts as the gatekeeper for this policy and serves as the interface with the federal gov’t for reporting purposes
2.13 09 University Handbook for 2.13 09 University Handbook for Appointed PersonnelAppointed Personnel
Policy and Procedures for Investigations of Policy and Procedures for Investigations of
Misconduct in Scholarly, Creative, and Misconduct in Scholarly, Creative, and
Research ActivitiesResearch Activities
http://www.vpr.arizona.edu/integrity/ResearchIntegrityPolicy-Final1.pdfhttp://www.vpr.arizona.edu/integrity/ResearchIntegrityPolicy-Final1.pdf Approved by Faculty Senate February 3, 2003 and Adopted by Approved by Faculty Senate February 3, 2003 and Adopted by
President Likins April 4, 2003President Likins April 4, 2003
Key Points in UA Misconduct PolicyKey Points in UA Misconduct Policy
Applies to everyone - faculty, staff, students, fellows, visitors, guests, consultants, collaborators
Applies to all scholarship, research and creative endeavors conducted at UA, funded or unfunded (not just PHS funded)
Key Points in UA Misconduct Policy Key Points in UA Misconduct Policy (continued)(continued)
Misconduct is fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing or reviewing research or creative endeavors, or in reporting research results or the results of creative endeavors. It does not include honest error or differences in interpretation or judgments in evaluating research methods or results or differences in opinion.
DefinitionsDefinitions
Fabrication –Making up data or results and recording or reporting
them
Falsification –Manipulating research or scholarship materials,
equipment, or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the scholarship or research is not accurately represented in the record
Plagiarism –The appropriation of another person’s ideas, processes,
results, or words without giving appropriate credit
FabricationFabrication
creating records of interviews of subjects that were never performed; making up progress notes for patient visits that never took place and inserting them into the medical record to support published and unpublished research reports; and preparing records for calls and follow-up contacts to subjects who had already died.
FalsificationFalsification
substituting one subject's record for that of another subject; falsely reporting to a data coordinating center that certain clinical trial staff, who were certified to perform the procedures on the subjects, had done so, when they had not; altering the dates and results from subjects' eligibility visits; altering the dates on patient screening logs and/or submitting the same log with altered dates on multiple occasions;
Falsification (cont)Falsification (cont)
failing to update the patients' status and representing data from prior contacts as being current; altering the results of particular tests on blood samples to show that the test accurately predicted a disease or relapse; backdating follow-up interviews to fit the time window determined by the study protocol; and falsifying the times that blood samples were drawn from human subjects.
PlagiarismPlagiarism
The theft or misappropriation of intellectual property and the substantial unattributed textual copying of another's work. It does not include authorship or credit disputes.
The theft or misappropriation of intellectual property includes the unauthorized use of ideas or unique methods obtained by a privileged communication, such as a grant or manuscript review.
What Does Research Integrity Officer What Does Research Integrity Officer Do?Do?
Receives allegation(s)
Conducts Pre-inquiry
Notifies sponsors as appropriate
Notifies respondent
Notifies Chair of UCEC (faculty ethics panel) of need for Inquiry into allegation(s)
Obtains and preserves evidence (paper, electronic, equipment etc.)
What Does Research Integrity Officer What Does Research Integrity Officer Do? (cont)Do? (cont)
Receives report from Inquiry Panel
Initiates ad hoc Investigative Committee if appropriate
Receives & transmits final investigation report to VPR & Provost
Notifies parties involved of outcome
Research IntegrityResearch Integrity
The UA promotes Responsible Conduct of Research by expecting all those involved in research to adhere to all university, state, federal, and other policies relating to the research or creative activity carried out under his/her direction.
Sign up for the PRIE Newsletter by emailing Ruth Daniels at [email protected]
Visit the PRIE website to view past issueshttp://www.vpr.arizona.edu/integrity/index.html
More thoughts………….More thoughts………….
In the end, no system is infallible, ethicists note. "If you have someone determined to fabricate evidence, no screening system will catch that," says Alto Charo, a law professor at the University of Wisconsin who specializes in biomedical and research ethics. "You have to rely on the integrity of the individual."
Responsible Conduct of Responsible Conduct of ResearchResearch
Data sharing/ownership
Mentor/trainee responsibilities
Publication Practices & Responsible Authorship
Peer Review
Collaborative Science
Human Subjects
Research Involving Animals
Research Misconduct
Conflict of Interest & Commitment
Where do I go for information/help?Where do I go for information/help?
Dr. Tom LindellDr. Tom Lindell
Research Integrity OfficerResearch Integrity Officer
Life Sciences South 254Life Sciences South 254
621-5125621-5125
[email protected]@u.arizona.edu
Ruth DanielsRuth Daniels
Program CoordinatorProgram Coordinator
Program in Research Integrity EducationProgram in Research Integrity Education
626-7643 626-7643
Research Compliance OfficeResearch Compliance Office
1203 North Mountain1203 North Mountain
[email protected]@email.arizona.edu
Alice LangenAlice Langen
Director, Research ComplianceDirector, Research Compliance
Associate Director, Program in Research Associate Director, Program in Research Integrity EducationIntegrity Education
Office of the VP for ResearchOffice of the VP for Research
Administration Bldg 601Administration Bldg 601
621-5196621-5196
[email protected]@email.arizona.edu
References/ReadingsReferences/Readings
1 Spotts, Peter N. (December 22, 2005) . Laboratory ethics: What makes some Spotts, Peter N. (December 22, 2005) . Laboratory ethics: What makes some scientists cheat?scientists cheat?http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1222/p02s01-stss.htmhttp://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1222/p02s01-stss.htm(19 February 2006)(19 February 2006)
2 Martinson, Brian C., Anderson, Melissa S., de Vries, Raymond (9 June Martinson, Brian C., Anderson, Melissa S., de Vries, Raymond (9 June 2005). Scientists behaving badly.2005). Scientists behaving badly.http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v435/n7043/full/435737a.htmlhttp://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v435/n7043/full/435737a.html access via access via http://www.ahsl.arizona.edu/journals/ejrnl_gateway.cfm?name=Nature&ID=15http://www.ahsl.arizona.edu/journals/ejrnl_gateway.cfm?name=Nature&ID=156767 (19 February 2006) (19 February 2006)
http://onlineethics.org/othersites.html#scienglish