[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 76 (Friday, April 19, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 19438]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-9620]


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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) and the Assistant Secretary for Health have taken final action in 
the following case:
    Joao Carlos deSales, San Francisco Department of Public Health: 
Based on the report of an investigation conducted by the San Francisco 
Department of Public Health (SFDPH) and additional analysis conducted 
by ORI in its oversight review, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) 
found that Joao Carlos deSales, former study counselor at SFDPH, 
engaged in scientific misconduct by falsifying data supported under 
National Institutes of Health subcontract SFP-N01-A1-35176-HMEISTERI-94 
to SFDPH under National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 
(NIAID), NIH, contract 5-N01-AI35176-019, ``Domestic Master Contract 
for HIV Vaccine Efficacy Trials,'' awarded to ABT Associates, Inc.
    Specifically, from April through September of 1999, Mr. deSales 
switched randomization assignments on four pairs of subjects and 
subsequently altered the research records to conceal his conduct. Mr. 
deSales' switching of the randomization assignments, if undetected, 
could have biased the study so as to invalidate the conclusions on the 
effectiveness of intensive counseling sessions on reducing the rate of 
new HIV infections.
    Mr. deSales has entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement in 
which he has voluntarily agreed for a period of three (3) years, 
beginning on April 4, 2002:
    (1) 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; and
    (2) that any institution that submits an application for PHS 
support for a research project on which Mr. deSales' participation is 
proposed or which uses him in any capacity on PHS supported research, 
or that submits a report of PHS-funded research in which Mr. deSales is 
involved, must concurrently submit a plan for supervision of his duties 
to the funding agency for approval. The supervisory plan must be 
designed to ensure the scientific integrity of his research 
contribution. A copy of the supervisory plan must also be submitted to 
ORI by the institution.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Division of Investigative 
Oversight, Office of Research Integrity, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 700, 
Rockville, MD 20852. (301) 443-5330.

Chris B. Pascal,
Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 02-9620 Filed 4-18-02; 8:45 am]
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