[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 19 (Friday, January 29, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 4664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-2157]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of the Secretary
Findings of Scientific Misconduct
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity
(ORI) has made a final finding of scientific misconduct in the
following case:
Robert J. Thackeray, R.N., M.P.H., University of Pittsburgh: Based
on an investigation report prepared by the University of Pittsburgh,
dated June 24, 1998, and information obtained by ORI during its
oversight review, ORI found that Mr. Thackeray, former program
coordinator, Multi center AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), Department of
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health,
University of Pittsburgh, engaged in scientific misconduct in research
supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Pitt Men's
Study is a component of the MACS funded by a cooperative agreement with
the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH.
Specifically, Mr. Thackeray falsified and/or fabricated research
data that he recorded from various tests that he was responsible for
conducting on subjects enrolled in the MACS.
Mr. Thackeray falsified and/or fabricated data for five subjects
and reported that data on the ``Neurological Assessment Form 10'' and
on the ``Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale'' questionnaire.
The fabricated and/or falsified research data were not compiled
elsewhere and were not included in any publications.
Mr. Thackeray has accepted the ORI finding and has entered into a
Voluntary Exclusion Agreement with ORI in which he has voluntarily
agreed, for the three (3) year period beginning January 19, 1999:
(1) To exclude himself from serving in any advisory capacity to the
Public Health Service (PHS), including but not limited to service on
any PHS advisory committee, board, and/or peer review committee, or as
a consultant; and
(2) That any institution that submits an application for PHS
support for a research project on which his participation is proposed
or which uses him in any capacity on PHS supported research, or that
submits a report of PHS-funded research in which he is involved, must
concurrently submit a plan for supervision of his duties to the funding
agency for approval. The supervisory plan must be designed to ensure
the scientific integrity of Mr. Thackeray's research contribution. The
institution also must submit a copy of the supervisory plan to ORI.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Acting Director, Division of Research
Investigations, Office of Research Integrity, 5515 Security Lane, Suite
700, Rockville, MD 20852, (301) 443-5330.
Chris B. Pascal,
Acting Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 99-2157 Filed 1-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-17-P
