[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 8, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45056-45057]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12857]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Findings of Misconduct in Science

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:
    Ms. Sylvia Okoro, University of Maryland at Baltimore: Based on the 
University of Maryland at Baltimore (UMAB) investigation committee 
report and additional analysis and information obtained by ORI during 
its oversight review, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) found that 
Ms. Okoro, former Research Assistant, UMAB, engaged in misconduct in 
science by fabricating

[[Page 45057]]

and falsifying patient data in research supported by National Institute 
on Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant R01 AG18461.
    Specifically, Ms. Okoro intentionally and knowingly fabricated and 
falsified data for six visit dates on one patient data form and 
falsified and fabricated patient condition information on two 
additional study subjects by failing to note that each patient had 
experienced a fall as documented in their medical charts.
    ORI has implemented the following administrative actions for a 
period of three (3) years, beginning July 17, 2006:
    (1) Ms. Okoro is prohibited 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) Any institution that submits an application for PHS support for 
a research project on which Ms. Okoro's participation is proposed or 
which uses her services in any capacity on PHS supported research must 
concurrently submit a plan for supervision of her duties. The 
supervisory plan must be designed to ensure the scientific integrity of 
Ms. Okoro's research contribution and must be submitted to ORI by the 
institution.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Division of Investigative 
Oversight, Office of Research Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 
750, Rockville, MD 20852, (240) 453-8800.

Chris B. Pascal, J.D.,
Director, Office of Research Integrity.
 [FR Doc. E6-12857 Filed 8-7-06; 8:45 am]
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