[Federal Register: January 29, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 19)]
[Notices]               
[Page 4664]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29ja99-73]

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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) has made a final finding of scientific misconduct in the 
following case:
    Robert J. Thackeray, R.N., M.P.H., University of Pittsburgh: Based 
on an investigation report prepared by the University of Pittsburgh, 
dated June 24, 1998, and information obtained by ORI during its 
oversight review, ORI found that Mr. Thackeray, former program 
coordinator, Multi center AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), Department of 
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, 
University of Pittsburgh, engaged in scientific misconduct in research 
supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Pitt Men's 
Study is a component of the MACS funded by a cooperative agreement with 
the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH.
    Specifically, Mr. Thackeray falsified and/or fabricated research 
data that he recorded from various tests that he was responsible for 
conducting on subjects enrolled in the MACS.
    Mr. Thackeray falsified and/or fabricated data for five subjects 
and reported that data on the ``Neurological Assessment Form 10'' and 
on the ``Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale'' questionnaire.
    The fabricated and/or falsified research data were not compiled 
elsewhere and were not included in any publications.
    Mr. Thackeray has accepted the ORI finding and has entered into a 
Voluntary Exclusion Agreement with ORI in which he has voluntarily 
agreed, for the three (3) year period beginning January 19, 1999:
    (1) To exclude himself from serving in any advisory capacity to the 
Public Health Service (PHS), including but not limited to service on 
any PHS advisory committee, board, and/or peer review committee, or as 
a consultant; and
    (2) That any institution that submits an application for PHS 
support for a research project on which his participation is proposed 
or which uses him in any capacity on PHS supported research, or that 
submits a report of PHS-funded research in which he is involved, must 
concurrently submit a plan for supervision of his duties to the funding 
agency for approval. The supervisory plan must be designed to ensure 
the scientific integrity of Mr. Thackeray's research contribution. The 
institution also must submit a copy of the supervisory plan to ORI.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Acting Director, Division of Research 
Investigations, Office of Research Integrity, 5515 Security Lane, Suite 
700, Rockville, MD 20852, (301) 443-5330.
Chris B. Pascal,
Acting Director, Office of Research Integrity.
[FR Doc. 99-2157 Filed 1-28-99; 8:45 am]
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