[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 231 (Tuesday, December 2, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 67449]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29867]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Findings of Scientific Misconduct

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity 
(ORI) and the Acting Assistant Secretary for Health have taken final 
action in the following case:
    Sheila Blackwell, University of Maryland, Baltimore: Based on the 
report of an investigation conducted by the University of Maryland, 
Baltimore (UMB Report), the respondent's admission of responsibility, 
and additional analysis conducted by ORI in its oversight review, the 
U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) found that Sheila Blackwell, former 
contractual employee, Department of Pediatrics at UMB, engaged in 
scientific misconduct in research supported by National Institute of 
Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant 2 R01 
MH54983, entitled ``Effectiveness of Standard versus Embellished HIV 
Prevention.''
    Specifically, PHS found that Ms. Blackwell engaged in scientific 
misconduct by fabricating interview records for the Focus on Teens HIV 
Risk Prevention Program for nine interviews that had not been performed 
over the period of May through July 2001.
    Ms. Blackwell has entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement 
(Agreement) in which she has voluntarily agreed for a period of three 
(3) years, beginning on October 30, 2003:
    (1) To exclude herself 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 her participation in any PHS-supported research will be 
conditioned on an appropriate plan of supervision of her duties 
(Supervision Plan) as follows:
    (i) Any institution that submits an application for PHS support for 
a research project in which Ms. Blackwell's participation is proposed 
or anticipated must concurrently submit a Supervision Plan to the 
funding agency for approval; and (ii) any institution using Ms. 
Blackwell in any capacity in PHS-supported research must submit a 
Supervision Plan to the funding agency for approval. The Supervision 
Plan must be designed to ensure the scientific integrity of her 
research contribution. A copy of the Supervision Plan must also be 
submitted to ORI by the institution. Ms. Blackwell agreed that she will 
not participate in any PHS-supported research until the Supervision 
Plan has been submitted to ORI.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Division of Investigative 
Oversight, Office of Research Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 
750, Rockville, MD 20852, (301) 443-5330.

Chris B. Pascal,
Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 03-29867 Filed 12-1-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-31-P