Case Summary - Hiwot A. Woreta
[[Federal Register: March 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 57)]
[Notices]
[Page 14895-14896]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24mr06-74]
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of the Secretary
Findings of Scientific Misconduct
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity
(ORI) and the Assistant Secretary for Health have taken final action in
the following case:
Hiwot A. Woreta, Duke University Medical Center: Based on the
report of an inquiry into admitted fabrication of data conducted by the
Duke University Medical Center (DUMC) and additional analysis conducted
by ORI in its oversight review, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS)
found that Hiwot A. Woreta, former medical student, DUMC, engaged in
research misconduct while supported by National Institute of Diabetes
and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of
Health (NIH), grant P30 DK034987.
Specifically, PHS found that Ms. Woreta engaged in research
misconduct by fabricating data included in Figure 2 of her third year
Medical School Thesis at DUMC. These data were also included in a
poster presented during the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society symposium
in May 2004.
Ms. Woreta has entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement in
which she has voluntarily agreed, for a period of three (3) years,
beginning on February 24, 2006:
(1) To exclude herself from serving in any advisory capacity to PHS
including but not limited to service on any PHS advisory committee,
board, and/or peer review committee, or as consultant; and
(2) That any institution that submits an application for PHS
support for a research project on which the Respondent's participation
is proposed or which uses the Respondent in any capacity on PHS
supported research, or that submits a report of PHS-funded research in
which the Respondent is involved, must concurrently submit a plan for
supervision of the Respondent's
duties to the funding agency for approval. The supervisory plan must be
designed to ensure the scientific integrity of the Respondent's
research contribution. Respondent agreed to ensure that a copy of the
supervisory plan is also submitted to ORI by the institution.
Respondent agreed that she will not participate in any PHS-supported
research until such a supervisory plan is submitted to ORI.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Director, Division of Investigative
Oversight
Office of Research Integrity
1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite
750
Rockville, MD 20852
(240) 453-8800
Chris B. Pascal,
Director, Office of Research Integrity.
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