[Federal Register: July 19, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 139)]
[Notices]               
[Page 47554-47555]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19jy02-82]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary

 
Findings of Scientific Misconduct

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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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:
    Michael Shishov, M.D., Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc. (BWH): 
Based on the report of an investigation conducted by Brigham and 
Women's Hospital, Inc. (BWH Report), the respondent's admission, and 
additional analysis conducted by ORI in its oversight review, the U.S. 
Public Health Service (PHS) found that the respondent, a former 
laboratory technician in the Intensive Physiological Monitoring Unit of 
the BWH General Clinical Research Center, engaged in scientific 
misconduct in a program of sleep disorder research supported by the 
National Institutes of Health (NIH) under National Center for Research 
Resources (NCRR), NIH, grant M01 RR02635.
    Specifically, PHS found, and the respondent admitted, that on 
numerous occasions between May and August 1995, he registered on the 
Termiflex-computer terminal, as well as writing in hand on blood draw 
sheets and laboratory logs, the times that he claimed he drew blood 
samples from human subjects in investigational sleep research. These 
times differed from the actual times when the samples were collected. 
The accurate assessment of the endogenous circadian phase and amplitude 
of the measured variables, including the timing and amount of blood 
cortisol, was essential for the studies. However, PHS acknowledges 
certain mitigating circumstances: (a) That occasionally during this 
time, the respondent may have been responsible for more protocol 
procedures than he could reasonably be expected to perform; and (b) 
that the BWH Report notes that he was respectful and honest during the 
investigation and that he has participated conscientiously in a program 
of professional ethics counseling. Therefore, PHS accepts the 
administrative actions previously imposed by BWH and performed by the 
respondent: (1) Attending an ORI conference on research misconduct; and 
(2) participating in ethics counseling over a three-year period.
    Dr. Shishov has entered into a Voluntary Exclusion Agreement in 
which he has voluntarily agreed to exclude himself 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 a 
consultant for

[[Page 47555]]

a period of three (3) years, beginning on July 2, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director, Division of Investigative 
Oversight, Office of Research Integrity, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 700, 
Rockville, MD 20852, (301) 443-5330.

Chris B. Pascal,
Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 02-18239 Filed 7-18-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-31-U