February 26, 2015

In an effort to expand research integrity internationally, the U.S. Office of Research Integrity (ORI) is coordinating the “Research Integrity in Asia and the Pacific Rim Conference,” which will take place in Fall 2015. 

Research, like many modern industries, is becoming an increasingly globalized endeavor. With a growing amount of U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) research funds going abroad, extra effort must be made to ensure that international institutions comply with applicable U.S regulations. For instance, all institutions, foreign or domestic, that receive PHS research funds are required to have policies and procedures in place for handling allegations of research misconduct. However, often the ability of international institutions to comply with these regulations is affected by the conflicting cultural norms and regulations of their countries. The challenge has become how to address allegations of research misconduct in light of differing regulations and institutional policies across cultural and national borders.

In preparation for this conference, ORI and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) are co-hosting a two-day planning meeting starting today at UCSF.  Susan Garfinkel, Ph.D., Director, Division of Investigative Oversight, ORI, and Zoë Hammatt, J.D., Director, Division of Education and Integrity, ORI, are meeting with representatives from institutions in China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, India, Australia, and New Zealand to discuss relevant issues and set the agenda for the conference.

Stay tuned for more information on international research integrity issues and for updates on the upcoming “Research Integrity in Asia and the Pacific Rim Conference.”