[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 13 (Friday, January 20, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 4168]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-1381]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Notice of a Regional Public Hearing of the Commission on Research 
Integrity

    Pursuant to Pub. L. 92-463, notice is hereby given of a public 
hearing and meeting, respectively, of the Commission on Research 
Integrity on Thursday and Friday, February 9 and 10, 1995, from 9:00 
a.m. to 5 p.m. at University of California-San Francisco in the 
auditorium of the Laurel Heights Conference Center at 3333 California 
Street, San Francisco, CA 94118. The sessions will be open to the 
public. 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 the Department 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.
    It has become increasingly clear to the Commission that the current 
DHHS and institutional oversight of research integrity deserves serious 
attention. Also, the Commission has confirmed that there are no quick 
and easy answers as it searches for fair, effective, and realistic 
administrative solutions to these issues. Therefore, an essential 
component of the Commission's information-gathering is to interact 
extensively with all relevant constituencies of the scientific 
community--including junior and senior scientists, witnesses, 
respondents, and academic administrators--to understand their 
particular experiences and perspectives and to explore possible 
improvements.
    Three 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, and 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 with particular emphasis 
on beginning 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 had challenged perceived research 
misconduct reaffirms the Commission's mandate to propose effective 
whistleblower protection rules. Witnesses stated that retaliation 
occurs with sufficient frequency to have a chilling effect on potential 
witnesses throughout the research community. The Commission is 
considering a Witness Bill of Rights and procedures for its 
implementation.
    The Commission will also continue its discussion of other issues on 
which the Commission is planning to make recommendations.
    Lengthy statements from witnesses exceeding the 10 or 15 minutes of 
oral presentation may be submitted in writing to the Executive 
Secretary before or at the meeting. Each statement 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 or (301) 443-9369 (voice mail), 
will furnish the meeting agenda, the Committee charter, and a roster of 
the Committee members upon request. Members of the public 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. 95-1381 Filed 1-19-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-17-P-M