[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 140 (Monday, July 23, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 40157]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-14185]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Findings of Research 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:
    James David Lieber, University of California at Los Angeles: Based 
on the findings of an inquiry report by the University of California at 
Los Angeles (UCLA) and additional analysis and information obtained by 
the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) during its oversight review, the 
U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) found that James David Lieber, Staff 
Research Associate, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human 
Behavior, Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, UCLA, engaged in 
research misconduct in research funded by National Institute on Drug 
Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant R01 DA15390.
    Mr. Lieber knowingly and intentionally falsified and fabricated 
multiple follow-up interviews, urine samples, and urine sample records 
of human subject study participants and entered such false and 
fabricated data into the study's data base. A total of 914 follow-up 
interviews of opiate users were planned to be completed as part of a 
study of gender differences in a follow up of opiate users in 
California. Mr. Lieber was assigned to interview 53 of the 132 subjects 
located for the follow-up study. Over a six-month period, Mr. Lieber 
falsely claimed to have conducted face-to-face interviews for the study 
while subsequent contacts with the subjects revealed that they had not 
been interviewed for the study. A review by the institution determined 
that the respondent fabricated interviews for 20 of the 53 interviews 
assigned to him. In addition, he falsified the urine specimens for 
those 20 subjects and caused the entry of false information into the 
study tracking and locating data base for 11 subjects. Aggravating 
factors included the theft of $5180 for incentive payments to subjects 
and travel expenses.
    ORI has implemented the following administrative actions for a 
period of three (3) years, beginning on July 2, 2007:
    (1) Mr. Lieber is debarred from eligibility for any contracting or 
subcontracting with any agency of the United States Government and from 
eligibility or involvement in nonprocurement programs of the United 
States Government referred to as ``covered transactions'' as defined in 
HHS' implementation of OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide 
Debarment and Suspension at 2 CFR part 376, et seq.; and
    (2) Mr. Lieber 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.

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,
Director, Office of Research Integrity.
 [FR Doc. E7-14185 Filed 7-20-07; 8:45 am]
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