Responding to Allegations of Research Misconduct

PURPOSE / SCOPE:  

ICOM is committed to upholding the highest standards of scientific rigor in research. This institution is committed to fostering an environment that promotes research integrity and the responsible conduct of research, discourages research misconduct, and deals promptly with allegations or evidence of possible research misconduct.

All institutional members are expected to conduct research with honesty, rigor, and transparency. Each institutional member is responsible for contributing to an organizational culture that establishes, maintains, and promotes research integrity and the responsible conduct of research.

ICOM strives to reduce the risk of research misconduct, support all good-faith efforts to report suspected misconduct, promptly and thoroughly address all allegations of research misconduct, and seek to rectify the scientific record and/or restore researchers’ reputations, as appropriate.

Research misconduct is contrary to the interests of ICOM, the health and safety of the public, the integrity of research, and the conservation of public funds. Both the institution and its institutional members have an affirmative duty to protect those funds from misuse by ensuring the integrity of all research conducted on behalf of ICOM.

POLICY:

ICOM is responsible for ensuring that these policies and procedures for addressing allegations of research misconduct meet the requirements of the PHS Policies on Research Misconduct (42 CFR Part 93, “the PHS regulation”). The institution will establish and maintain these policies and procedures, inform all institutional members about these policies and procedures, and make these policies and procedures publicly available. ICOM is committed to following these policies and procedures when responding to allegations of research misconduct. These policies and procedures do not supersede or establish an alternative to the PHS regulation or any existing regulations for handling research misconduct involving non-PHS supported research. They do not replace the PHS regulation, and in case of any conflict between this document and 42 CFR Part 93, the PHS regulation will prevail. They are intended to enable ICOM to comply with the requirements of the PHS regulation.

POLICY OWNER: 

Assistant Dean of Research

APPROVAL:

Effective: 5/1/21

Last Reviewed: 9/23/25

Review Requirement: 3 Years