[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 242 (Thursday, December 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69630-69631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33405]
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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:
Ms. Rocio del Carmen Restrepo, University of Illinois at Chicago:
Based on an investigation report by the University of Illinois at
Chicago, dated March 25, 1998, as well as information obtained by ORI
during its oversight review, ORI found that Ms. Restrepo, former
research assistant, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at
Chicago, engaged in scientific misconduct in clinical research
supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health
(NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Specifically, Ms. Restrepo fabricated research data and submitted
the data to the director of a project entitled ``Prenatal Provider-
Patient Encounter.'' Data were fabricated in the records of 41
patients, including: dates on which Ms. Restrepo claimed to have
conducted interviews in certain clinics; consent forms for patients;
questionnaires from patients participating in the project; and false
information in her ``Study Daily Logs'' that recorded each day's
events.
[[Page 69631]]
The fabricated data were not included in any publications.
Ms. Restrepo has accepted the ORI finding and has entered into a
Voluntary Exclusion Agreement with ORI in which she has voluntarily
agreed, for the three (3) year period beginning December 7, 1998:
(1) To exclude herself 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 her participation is proposed
or which uses her in any capacity on PHS supported research, or that
submits a report of PHS-funded research in which she is involved, must
concurrently submit a plan for supervision of her duties to the funding
agency for approval. The supervisory plan must be designed to ensure
the scientific integrity of Ms. Restrepo'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. 98-33405 Filed 12-16-98; 8:45 am]
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