[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 5, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 41468]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-16876]


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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 based on an investigation by the 
Office of Research Integrity (ORI) and a decision by the Assistant 
Secretary for Health, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) has made a 
final finding of scientific misconduct in the following case:
    Mr. Jin Qian, New Dimensions Research and Instrument, Inc.: Mr. 
Qian, Executive Manager for Corporate Planning and Research, New 
Dimensions Research and Instrument, Inc. (NDRI), committed scientific 
misconduct by plagiarizing research results and text from other 
investigators in an application to the National Institute of 
Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of 
Health (NIH), for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award, 
``Glass-based neurochip system,'' 1 R43 NS39266-01.
    Specifically, based on ORI's analysis, PHS finds that Mr. Qian: (1) 
Used research images and descriptions posted on the Internet to create 
seven figures in the application and used that material, its associated 
text, and text from other publications obtained from the Internet 
without attribution; (2) misrepresented research results in two of the 
plagiarized figures as exemplar applications of NDRI's proprietary 
technology; and (3) misrepresented his research bibliography in that 
application and to ORI staff during the investigation. These actions 
constitute falsifications in the proposing of research because their 
collective effect was to falsify the basis on which NIH reviewers 
determine whether NDRI could achieve the goals of the proposed project.
    Mr. Qian has accepted the PHS finding and has entered into a 
Voluntary Exclusion Agreement with PHS in which he has voluntarily 
agreed for a three (3) year period, beginning on June 12, 2000:
    (1) To exclude himself from any contracting or subcontracting with 
any agency of the United States Government and from eligibility for, or 
involvement in, nonprocurement transactions (e.g., grants and 
cooperative agreements) of the United States Government as defined in 
45 CFR part 76 (Debarment Regulations);
    (2) To exclude himself from serving in any advisory capacity to 
PHS, including but not limited to service on any PHS advisory 
committee, board, and/or peer review committee, or as a consultant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Acting Director, Division of 
Investigative Oversight, 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. 00-16876 Filed 7-4-00; 8:45 am]
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