Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR): Research & Professional Integrity

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SESSION DESCRIPTION: Integrity in life sciences research is publicly called into question most often when a spectacular case of fraud appears in the news cycle. Most academic scientists believe that serious instances of misconduct are rare and represent the actions of a few bad actors. While this intuition may or may not be accurate, its overemphasis serves to draw attention away from a host of “environmental factors” within traditional academic medical research that are worth closer examination – especially at the student/trainee/junior investigator stage.
The readings selected for this session make for mostly entertaining journalistic reading.  A series of high-profile cases have created a “public relations” problem for life sciences researchers.  A number of important and serious consequences to a variety of stakeholders when misconduct occurs on a grand scale.  The extent to which questionable research practices may occur on a lesser scale and the effect the research environment has on encouraging misconduct are also explored. 

Facilitators:
Daniel H. Wainstock, PhD, Director of Research Integrity, HMS
Keri Godin, Keri Godin, M.S., Directory for Professional Integrity, HMS

Please contact rcr@hms.harvard.edu with any questions.

Sponsored by the HMS Center for Bioethics and Office for Postdoctoral Fellows
Course Directors: Joni R. Beshansky, MPH, LP.D. and James Gould, PhD