Well spoken, well said Steve. To me, the bigger issue is the forgery, so I'd want to inform the Chair that this has happened and then it would most likely become clear whether or not the Chair gave that faculty member "delegated authority" to sign that protocol. If the Chair didn't provide that authority, the Chair is the best person to pursue this issue. Forgery IS illegal in addition to being unethical. Pat Patricia A. Hawk Assistant Director, Sponsored Projects Administration Oregon Health and Science University Mail Code AD220 2525 SW First Ave.,Suite 220 Portland, OR 97201 Voice: 503-494-3211 Fax: 503-494-1191 e-mail: xxxxxx@ohsu.edu >>> xxxxxx@BC.EDU 11/13/03 07:41AM >>> I consur with others who have said this act of forgery cannot be ignored. I don't know what your internal procedures are so it's difficult to recommend specific actions. It seems to me that it's a hard to make an ethical argument that some forgry is ok. I would like to add another question to the discussion. If this act of forgery were to be passed off as not being important enough toworry about, then I think we have to ask what added value is there in having the Department Chair sign the protocols. Personally, I think there is significant value added, but others may disagree. For those who think there is value in a Chair signing, this act of forgery has both ethical and practical implications. The Chair has a right to know that his/her signature has been forged --- and he/she has a responsibility to take disciplinary action against the forger. I'm not sure Spanky's solution of decapitation is a punishment that fits the crime -- but if the Chair is aching to use a guillotine, so be it. Stephen Erickson, Director Office for Research Compliance and Intellectual Property Management Boston College, LCOB 550 Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 Telephone: 617-552-3345 Office Fax: 617-552-6981 Fax to my computer: 413-895-8328 -----Original Message----- From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG] On Behalf Of Barbara Gray Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2003 11:31 AM To: xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG Subject: [RESADM-L] Forged Signature on IRB Application Compliance/IRB staffers out there, how would you deal with this situation? We require department chairs to sign off on human subject applications. A faculty member is in a rush to have an human subject protocol approved (under expedited criteria) for a very innocuous procedure--virtually no risk at all except it is a phyical measurement that does not fit within exemption criteria. (Note that the project involves students who will be collecting the data as part of a class assignment.) She indicates she'll just sign for her chair, we indicate that she can't do that, and, lo and behold, the signature page comes in a couple of days later with the chair's signature forged. Would you take this to her chair? Her dean? The provost? Would you prohibit her from implementing the protocol (which will impact the students in her class)? Would you bar her from doing human subject research for a period of time? Is this "misconduct" that should be referred for handling through ORI regs? (note that we've made our misconduct policy applicable to all research and scholarship, not just that funded externally or by the Feds.) Personally, I find the faculty member's action offensive and unethical (if not downright illegal)--if she will do this on an application, might she do the same someday on a consent form?? But, in the big scheme of things, is this worth going to the mat on? After all, it's only falsification of an internal signature, not scientific data.... Thanks. -- ================================================================== Barbara H. Gray, Director Office of Research & Grants Administration College of Charleston 66 George Street Charleston, SC 29424 Campus Location: 407-G Bell Bldg. Office: 843.953.5673 Desk: 843.953.5885 Fax: 843.953.6577 e-mail: xxxxxx@cofc.edu URL: http://www.orga.cofc.edu/ ================================================================== ====================================================================== Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists") ====================================================================== ====================================================================== Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists") ====================================================================== ====================================================================== Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists") ======================================================================
