Responsible Conduct of Research at LSU
On December 1, 2000, the US Public Health Service announced final PHS Policy for Instruction
in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) for extramural institutions
receiving PHS funds for research or research training (currently suspended).
This policy required covered institutions (LSU) to have in place by October
1, 2001, a program of instruction that complied with the policy as well
as a written description documenting the program. All research staff at
the institution (see below) were by October 1, 2003, to have received a
program of instruction in RCR. New research staff beginning work after October
1, 2003, were to have received instruction in RCR prior to working on a
research project, or as soon thereafter as practicable, but no later than
one year after beginning work on the research project. PHS recommended that
all covered research staff receive RCR continuing education, and that the
policy be extended to all appropriate research staff funded from other sources
than the PHS.
Under this policy, "research staff" is defined as staff at the
institution who have direct and substantive involvement in proposing, performing,
reviewing, or reporting research, or who receive research training, supported
by PHS funds or who otherwise work on the PHS-supported research project
even if the individual does not receive PHS support. The institution may
make reasonable determinations regarding which research staff fall within
this definition. Covered individuals include those working at off-campus
sites.
Note: this RCR Policy has been implemented for intramural
researchers at the NIH, but its application to external organizations has
been suspended because it was determined that the Policy constituted rule-making,
and federal regulations had not been followed in that sense. It is likely
that this or a similar policy WILL be reinstituted in the near future.
All PHS Training Grants require such a curriculum.
A useful text covering these topics has been published by the American
Society for Microbiology Press (Washington DC): Scientific Integrity:
An Introductory Text with Cases, 2nd edition by Francis L. Macrina (2000).
Another useful two-volume publication of the National Academy of Science
Press is Responsible
Science, Volume I: Ensuring the Integrity of the Research Process
(1992), and Responsible Science, Volume
II: Background Papers and Resource Documents (1993).
Instruction in core areas is required to the extent that the core areas
are applicable to the institution's research programs and the particular
research projects and staff involved. The institution may exercise reasonable
discretion in determining which core areas are applicable to its research
staff. The institution may also determine the method of documenting that
instruction has occurred.
Nine core instructional areas are included in the curriculum mandated by
the PHS policy.
- Data acquisition, management, sharing, and ownership
- Mentor/trainee responsibilities
- Publication practices and responsible authorship
- Peer review
- Collaborative science
- Human subjects (existing human subjects
training required at LSU for PHS funded projects meets this core requirement)
- Research involving animals (existing training
required at LSU for research involving animals meets this core requirement)
- Research misconduct
- Conflict of interest and commitment
The PHS has provided, and will continue to further develop, resources
for training in these areas. Other sites for these resources include:
Links Related To Core Instructional Areas:
- Data Acquisition,
Management, Sharing and Ownership
- Mentor/Trainee
Responsibilities
- Publication Practices and Responsible
Authorship
- Peer Review
- Collaborative Science
- Human Subjects
- Research Involving
Animals
- Research Misconduct
- Conflict of Interest
Other Resource Links
Updated 4/2/03
