ORI Introduction to RCR 

Advances in scientific knowledge have provided the foundation for improvements in public health and have led to enhanced health and quality of life for all Americans. Many of these advances can be traced to the work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which supports the world’s largest medicalresearch effort.

Research conducted with support from HHS also helps to assure the safety of foods and health care products, is vital in the fight against drug and alcohol abuse, and in many other waysfosters the Department’s mission to improve health and to help those in need of assistance.

As the custodian of the largest share of our Nation’s resources devoted to biomedical and behavioral research, HHS takes seriously the challenge of ensuring these resources are used responsibly. Special programs already exist to oversee the protection of human and animal subjects in research, to review conflicts of interest, and to assure laboratory safety and responsible grants management.

With this publication, we hope to encourage researchers and research institutions to make a special effort to understand, discuss, and teach others about the responsible conduct of research.

Tommy G. Thompson
Secretary
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services