Research Misconduct

Highlight on research misconduct and research integrity; definition and classification.

1. Research Misconduct
WeamBanjar, DDS., MS.
July 22, 2019

2. Why research misconduct matters:
•Difficult to be recognized. It is like domestic violence; we did
not recognize it, yet we see a lot
•It undermines public trust in medical research and health
professionals
•It corrupts the scientific records and leads to false conclusion
•Most countries do not have good systems neither for
prevention nor for treatment

3. US Commission on Research
Integrity(1996):
"Behaviourby a researcher, intentional or not, that falls short
of good ethical and scientific standards."

4. British Consensus Panel (1999):
Research misconduct is significant misbehavior that
improperly appropriates the intellectual property or
contributions of others, that intentionally impedes the progress
of research, or that risks corrupting the scientific record or
compromising the integrity of scientific practices. Such
behaviors are unethical and unacceptable in proposing,
conducting, or reporting research, or in reviewing the
proposals or research reports of others

5. Preliminary Taxonomy of Research
Misconduct Ranked by Seriousness

6. Seriousness level I:
•Fabrication: invention of data or cases
•Falsification: willful distortion of data
•Plagiarism: copying of ideas, data or words without
attribution
•Failing to get consent from an ethics committee for research

7. Seriousness level II:
•Not admitting that some data are missing
•Ignoring outliers without declaring it
•Not including data on side effects in a clinical trials
•Conducting research in humans without informed consent

8. Seriousness level III:
•Publication of post hoc analysis without declaration that they
were post hoc
•Gift authorship
•Not attributing other authors
•Redundant publication
•Not disclosing a conflict of interest

9. Seriousness level IV:
•Not attempting to publish completed research
•Failure to do adequate search of existing research before
beginning new research

10. Misconduct
Triangle
Opportunity “Can I get
away with it?”
Rationalization “Can I
live with it?”
Incentive “Do I have a
reason to commit it?”

11. Common principles of research
integrity:
•Honesty in all aspects of research
•Accountability in the conduct of research
•Professional courtesy and fairness in working with others
•Good stewardship of research on behalf of others