May 4, 2001
TO: Faculty,
ALL SCHOOLS
FROM: Walter
J. Meyer, III, M.D.
Scientific Integrity Officer
SUBJECT: Definition
of Scientific Misconduct and Where to Report Allegations
The policy on scientific
misconduct utilized by The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston is
the University of Texas System Administration Policy on Misconduct in Science.
This policy defines scientific misconduct and encourages all faculty, health
care professionals, and staff to report allegations of misconduct in
science. Such allegations should be
reported to Walter J. Meyer, III, M.D., Scientific Integrity Officer, or to the
Dean of the faculty member’s school.
At UTMB part of our goals are
to create a scientific community that adheres to high ethical standards while
conducting research, as well as to promote creativity in scientists and
academicians. We believe this can be accomplished by promoting integrity on
research projects where every investigator maintains permanent auditable
records of all experimental protocols, data and findings.
Faculty, health care
professionals, postdoctoral fellows, undergraduate and medical students,
housestaff, and research technicians should all be cognizant of what constitutes
scientific misconduct, and the University’s policy and procedures for reporting
such conduct.
Scientific misconduct is
defined in the UTMB Handbook of
Operating Procedures as “the fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or other
practices that materially deviate from those that are commonly accepted within
the scientific community for proposing, conducting or reporting research. It
does not include honest error or honest differences in interpretation or
judgement of data. Misconduct may be further defined as retaliation of
any kind against a person who reported or provided information about suspected
or alleged misconduct and who has not acted in bad faith.”
The University will take the
necessary precautions to protect the confidentiality of all persons involved in
such allegations, assure a fair hearing under the principles of due process,
and minimize the number of individuals involved in each stage of the
investigative inquiry and hearings.
Investigators are encouraged
to contact Dr. Meyer for instructional tapes and other educational materials
relating to misconduct in science.