Scientific Integrity

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Scientific Integrity
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Scientific Integrity

• Integrity in science is a basic moral attitude.
• Scientific integrity, in the comprehensive sense,
  cannot be separated from the responsible handling
  of the human desire for knowledge and human
  curiosity.

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Scientific Integrity

• presupposes ethical reflexion, self discipline
  and a self-critical assessment
• is essential for researchers and their
  institutions
• is a precondition for sustainable dialogue
  between science and society
• promotes the reputation of research, the
  understanding for new developments and the
  acceptance of innovations

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Cases of scientific misconduct

• Cyrill Burt, 1976, Psychology Evidence of
  inherited intelligence based on largely
  contrieved data. Fölsing A. Der Mogelfaktor.
  Hamburg 1984, 31ff.
• Francois Dermange, 2001, Theological ethicsTwo
  publication including plagiarism. The University
  of Geneva leaves him as Professor on
  parole.La Liberté 05.12.01

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Cases of scientific misconduct

• Friedhelm Herrmann/Marion Brach, 1997,
  BiomedicineCancer-researchers fake data over
  years - in 94 publications manipulation of data
  was proven. Moreover, they used their
  reviewer-positions to steal data and ideas of
  other researchers. F.H. was a member of the DFG
  and awarded with over 800000 CHF of research
  funding. He was suspended from the
  University.Die Zeit 10.06.98
• Karl Illmensee, 1977-84, ZoologyStates to have
  cloned the first mice (1981). Inaccurateness in
  research grant to the NIH, manipulation,
  inconsistencies.Suspended as Professor from the
  University of Geneva reversed, but financial
  support was halted Frankfurter Allgemeine
  Sonntags Zeitung 21. 10. 07

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Cases of scientific misconduct

• Jon Sunbo, 2005, MedicineEvidence that
  anti-inflammatory drugs decrease the risk of oral
  cancer. Patients as well as case histories for
  the study were fictional. The Lancet 2005
  3661359-1366
• Woo Suk Hwang, 2005, Stem cell-research,Cloning
  of human blastocytes and production of stem
  cells thereof. The data were faked. Moreover,
  female researchers in the own lab had supplied
  oocytes for this research. Science 2004 303
  1669 ff. und 2005, 2308 1777ff.

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Scientific behaviour of integrity

• Scientific behaviour of integrity requires
• respect for the limitations of freedom of
  research
• veracity
• openness within the research group
• transparency and dialogue with the scientific
  community and the general public
• 4

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Research projects in the planning phase

• Feasibility of the research plan
• Definition of the roles of the persons involved
• Decision on the financing of the project and on
  the financial sources
• Decision on the handling of data and materials
• Definition of interest conflicts
• Documented definition of agreements
• 5

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The carrying out of research projects

• Accuracy and reliability of the documentation
• Storage of data and materials, so that their loss
  or manipulation can be excluded
• Disclosure of information on the project within
  the research group
• Support in the checking of the results of the
  project

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Publication of research results

• Timely regulation of the authorship and the
  specific responsibilities of the authors
• Unbiased and complete publication of the results
• Presentation of the results in separate
  publications, only for the purpose of increasing
  the number of titles published, is to be avoided
• Originality, accuracy, reliability and relevance
  are more important than rapid results and a large
  number of publications

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Misconduct in the scientific context

• Deliberate or negligent deception
• Falsification of data
• Fabrication of data
• Plagiarism
• Unjustified authorship
• Non-mention of important contributions of third
  parties
• Damage to, and obstruction of, research activity
• Deliberate false evaluation of projects and
  results
• Violation of duties of discretion etc.

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Scientific misconduct is not to be tolerated

• If an infringement of scientific integrity is
  suspected, a check must be carried out, by means
  of a specific procedure, to determine whether
  misconduct has occurred.
• Research institutions and research-promoting
  institutions should have an organisation for the
  protection of integrity, that is, an ombudsman
  and a person with responsibility for the
  protection of scientific integrity (integrity
  protection commissioner).

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Principal conditions of the procedure

• Hearing of the incriminated person
• Confidentiality for all parties involved in the
  procedure
• Protection of the person making the allegation
• No participation in the procedure of persons who
  may be biased
• Documentation of the individual steps of the
  procedure
• Possibility of appeal

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Suggestion for organisation of the procedure

• Ombudsperson
• Person with responsibility for the procedure
• (integrity protection commissioner)
• Fact-finding panel
• Decision-making panel
• Appeals instance

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The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences

• SAHS, SAMS, SATW, SCNAT
• build bridges between science and society
• are engaged in the realisation of ethical
  responsibility by the gain and application of
  scientific knowledge
• are committed to early detection, ethics and the
  dialogue between science and society
• advocate scientific integrity

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The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences advocate
scientific integrity

• They have their own integrity protection
  organisation.
• They have drawn up a Memorandum and Principles
  and procedural rules for scientific integrity,
  which are addressed to research institutions
  under public law and private research
  institutions and research-promoting institutions
  (www.swiss-academies.ch).
• They have set up a Scientific integrity
  commission which advises research institutions
  and research-promoting institutions on questions
  of scientific integrity.