[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 218 (Tuesday, November 12, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67363-67364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26991]


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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) has taken final action in the following case:
    Hao Wang, M.D., Ph.D., Western University--Canada (formerly 
University of Western Ontario): Based on the report of an investigation 
conducted by Western University--Canada (WU) and ORI's subsequent 
oversight analysis, ORI found that Dr. Hao Wang, former Associate 
Professor of Surgery and Pathology, Schulich School of Medicine and 
Dentistry, WU, engaged in research misconduct in research supported by 
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National 
Institutes of Health (NIH), subaward 0016244 from Prime Award U01 
AI074676 to the University of Pittsburgh.
    ORI found that Respondent engaged in research misconduct by 
falsifying data that were included in:
     An abstract and poster presentation for the 2011 American 
Transplant Congress--Abstract [1537.5]: Wang, H., Baroja, M., Lan, Z., 
Arp, J., Lin, W., Relmann, K., Garcia, B., Jevnikar, A., & Rothstein, 
D. ``Combination of Novel Anti-CD45RB and Anti-CD40 Chimeric Antibodies 
Proglons Renal Allograft Survival in Cynomolgus Monkeys.''
    Specifically, ORI found that the Respondent falsified the status of 
two animals as successfully treated renal allograft recipients in a 
2011 American Transplant Congress abstract and meeting presentation and 
in false representations to the project principal investigators and 
colleagues. Respondent falsely claimed long term survival, normal serum 
creatinine concentrations, and lack of adverse effects in two 
Cynomolgus monkeys treated with chimeric antibodies following bilateral 
nephrectomies and receipt of renal allografts, when in fact the 
transplant surgery had failed and the animals' survival was due to a 
native kidney that was left in place in each animal. Respondent also 
falsified or failed to correct known falsifications (identifying the 
two monkeys as transplant recipients) in numerous clinical records, 
including anesthesia records, progress, notes, treatment records, and 
clinical laboratory reports.
    It is expressly agreed that while Respondent asserts that there are 
extenuating factors for his actions, Respondent agrees to enter into 
the Agreement because contesting the findings would cause him undue 
financial hardship and stress, and Respondent wishes to seek finality. 
Respondent also claims that based on the data obtained from the same 
experimental group, the removal of these two monkeys from the data 
would not alter the scientific conclusion.
    Dr. Wang has entered into a Voluntary Settlement Agreement and has 
voluntarily agreed for a period of three (3) years, beginning on 
October 22, 2013:
    (1) To have his research supervised; Respondent agreed that prior 
to the submission of an application for U.S. Public Health Service 
(PHS) support for a research project on which the Respondent's 
participation is proposed and prior to Respondent's participation in 
any capacity on PHS-supported research, Respondent shall ensure that a 
plan for supervision of his duties is submitted to ORI for approval; 
the supervision plan must be designed to ensure the scientific 
integrity of Respondent's research contribution; Respondent agreed that 
he shall not participate in any PHS-supported research until such a 
supervision plan is submitted to and approved by ORI; Respondent agreed 
to maintain responsibility for compliance with the agreed-upon 
supervision plan;

[[Page 67364]]

    (2) that any institution employing him shall submit, in conjunction 
with each application for PHS funds, or report, manuscript, or abstract 
involving PHS-supported research in which Respondent is involved, a 
certification to ORI that the data provided by Respondent are based on 
actual experiments or are otherwise legitimately derived, that the 
data, procedures, and methodology are accurately reported in the 
application, report, manuscript, or abstract, and that the text in such 
submission is his own or properly cites the source of copied language 
and ideas; and
    (3) to exclude himself voluntarily 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, Office of Research 
Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 750, Rockville, MD 20852, (240) 
453-8800.

David E. Wright,
Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 2013-26991 Filed 11-8-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-31-P