[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 37 (Friday, February 24, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10394-10395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-4550]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Regional Public Hearing of the Commission on Research Integrity 
in Chicago, IL

    Pursuant to Pub. L. 92-463, notice is hereby given of a regional 
public hearing and meeting of the Commission on Research Integrity, 
respectively on Thursday and Friday, March 9 and 10, 1995, at the De 
Paul University, Chicago, IL. On the 9th, the Commission will meet from 
8:30 a.m. until 11:15 a.m. at the De Paul Center on 1 East Jackson 
Boulevard. The afternoon session, 12:30 p.m. until 5 p.m., will be held 
in the De Paul University Administration Center, 9th floor, on 243 
South Wabash Avenue. The sessions will be open to the public and will 
continue on the 10th from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at 249 South Wabash Ave. 
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 scientific misconduct 
and research integrity. 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, [[Page 10395]] respondents, academic 
administrators, as well as students--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, 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 had challenged perceived research 
misconduct reaffirms the Commission's mandate to propose effective 
whistleblower protection rules. 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 and procedures for 
its implementation.
    The Commission will also continue its discussion of other issues on 
which the Commission is planning to make recommendations in its final 
report.
    The Commission is inviting oral or written statements from 
interested parties. Lengthy statements exceeding 10 or 15 minutes of 
oral presentation should 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 Committee charter, a roster of the Committee members upon 
request, a preliminary report of the Commission, and a meeting agenda 
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. 95-4550 Filed 2-23-95; 8:45 am]
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