To combat growing concern that a small percentage of researchers continues to ignore standard research ethics, The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in the US recently released a report entitled “Fostering Integrity in Research”. This report outlines the best practices for academic research and points out ways to effectively discourage misconduct and address incidences in which research misconduct has occurred.
This report actually follows up on a report entitled “Responsible Science: Ensuring the Integrity of the Research Process”, published in 1992. Like the original report, “Fostering Integrity in Research” proposes that universities and scientific societies establish an independent Research Integrity Advisory Board that not only works to raise awareness of research ethics, but also helps institutes address instances of misconduct.
The creation of the proposed advisory board could not only ensure that ethics education and training are consistent across the existing variety of research institutions, but also establish universal protocols for responding to instances of misconduct.
The scientists who contributed to the writing of “Fostering Integrity in Research” noted the significant 25-year gap between these publications. Had the proposed Research Integrity Advisory Board been established soon after the publication of “Responsible Science: Ensuring the Integrity of the Research Process”, it is possible that some of the research misconduct that made headlines in the mainstream media may have been prevented. Regardless of whether such an advisory board is established in light of the publication of “Fostering Integrity in Research”, it is important that major thought leaders like The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are actively seeking ways to not only prevent misconduct, but also respond to instances of misconduct when they occur.
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