[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 61 (Thursday, March 30, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16477-16478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-7782]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of the Secretary
Notice of a Regional Public Hearings of the Commission on
Research Integrity
Pursuant to Pub. L. 92-463, notice is hereby given of two regional
public hearings and meetings of the Commission on Research Integrity.
All proceedings are open to the public.
The first meeting will be on Monday and Tuesday, April 10 and 11,
1995, at the Countway Library Auditorium, Harvard Medical Center, 25
Shattuck Street, Boston, MA. The Commission will meet from 8:30 a.m.
until 5:00 p.m. on the first day to listen to testimony, and from 9:00
a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on the second day to deliberate Commission issues.
The second meeting will be on Thursday and Friday, May 4 and 5,
1995, at the University of Alabama, the Great Hall and Alumni
Auditorium respectively, Hill University Center, 1400 University
Boulevard, Birmingham, AL. The Commission will meet from 8:30 a.m.
until 5:00 p.m. on the first day to deliberate Commission issues, and
from 9:00 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. on the second day to listen to
testimony.
Interested parties are advised to call the Executive Secretary
shortly before the meeting to verify the date, place, and agenda.
The mandate of the Commission is to develop recommendations for the
Secretary of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Congress on the
administration of Section 493 of the Public Health Service Act, as
amended by and added to by Section 161 of the NIH Revitalization Act of
1993.
In its deliberations, the Commission has confirmed that there are
no quick and easy answers for fair, effective, and realistic
administrative solutions to a number of issues in research integrity
and scientific misconduct. An essential component of the Commission's
information-gathering is to interact extensively with relevant
constituencies of the scientific community--including junior and senior
scientists, witnesses, respondents, academic administrators, as well as
students--to understand their particular experiences and views and to
explore possible improvements.
Four major areas are currently of great interest to the Commission:
1. A New Definition of Research Misconduct. The Commission believes
that any definition needs to address the full extent of serious
research misconduct, but must avoid a definition that is too broad,
vague, and potentially unfair. In addition, a two-tiered approach for
research integrity, or failures thereof, would be useful; it would
emphasize institutional responsibility, and reserve an oversight role
for the Federal Government.
2. Assurance for Institutions and Accountability for Federally
Funded Research. The Commission is considering that each institution
receiving Federal funds develop and submit for Federal review and
approval assurances concerning the establishment and implementation of:
(a) Good research practices and professional norms; (b) procedures for
disseminating that information throughout its community; and (c)
educational activities designed to foster practice of the highest
ethical standards in the conduct of research for all researchers.
Topics affecting good research practices that might be addressed in
institutional assurances include: data recording and retention;
supervisory responsibility; authorship practices; protection of
witnesses; and other professional conduct bearing directly on the
integrity of Federally supported research.
3. Bill of Rights for Witnesses. Testimony from witnesses (also
called ``whistleblowers'') who have challenged perceived research
misconduct reaffirms the Commission's mandate to propose effective
whistleblower protection. Witnesses have stated that retaliation occurs
with sufficient frequency and impact to have a chilling effect on
potential witnesses throughout the research community. The Commission
is considering a Witness Bill of Rights.
4. Codes of Ethics. Professional organizations have a unique role
in the preservation of scientific integrity. The Commission endorses
their existence, their continual use in teaching and standard checking,
and their ongoing development to keep pace with the ethical issues of
the times. The Commission is considering that, to reinforce and augment
the influence of normative professional standards, professional
organizations should [[Page 16478]] become more active in defining,
promulgating, and promoting compliance with these standards.
The Commission will also continue discussion of other issues on
which the Commission may make recommendations in its final report.
The Commission invites oral or written statements from interested
parties. Lengthy statements exceeding 10 or 15 minutes of oral
presentation should be submitted in writing or via internet to the
Executive Secretary before the meeting. Written statements will be
reviewed by Commission Members.
Henrietta D. Hyatt-Knorr, Executive Secretary, Commission on
Research Integrity, at Rockwall II, Suite 700, 5515 Security Lane,
Rockville MD 20852; (301) 443-5300 (phone); (301) 443-5351 (fax); and
hhyatt@oasch.ssw.dhhs.gov (internet) will furnish a preliminary report
of the Commission including the Committee charter and roster of the
Committee members, and/or a meeting agenda upon request. Individuals
wishing to make presentations should contact the Executive Secretary.
Depending on the number of presentations and other considerations, the
Executive Secretary will allocate a reasonable timeframe for each
speaker.
Henrietta D. Hyatt-Knorr,
Executive Secretary, Commission on Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 95-7782 Filed 3-29-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-17-P
