Ethics

The mission of the NIEHS Ethics Office is to help ensure that NIEHS researchers, trainees, and staff understand their ethical responsibilities; comply with ethics rules, regulations, and policies; seek appropriate advice concerning ethical dilemmas and issues; and know how and where to report ethics violations.

The Ethics Office, located in Keystone, Suite 1079A, performs a variety of services and functions for the NIEHS community, including:

• Managing the filing and approval process for outside activities, scientific protocols, sponsored travel, awards, honorary degrees, and widely attended gatherings;
• Administering the filing and approval process for certifying public and confidential disclosure of financial interest statements;
• Providing guidance on conflict of interest issues for employees and the advisory committees that serve NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program (“NTP”);
• Responding to inquiries pertaining to conflict of interests, acceptable gifts, and post-employment restrictions;
• Coordinating and conducting training in responsible conduct of research for researchers, research staff, and trainees;
• Providing guidance on responsible conduct of research issues, such as misconduct, data sharing, authorship, publication, peer review, mentoring, collaboration, protection of human and animal research subjects, and social responsibility;
• Serving on NIEHS, NIH, and federal committees that deal with ethics issues;
• Conducting research and analysis on ethics issues related to environmental health research and policy;
• Serving as a liaison to the NIH Ethics Office and the HHS Office of General Counsel.

Forms

A one-stop shop for all the forms related to disclosures, activities, and more.

Covered Research Protocols

You will find pertinent information such as clinical protocols and required training.

Official Duties

These procedures, forms and charts will help determine if activities you perform away from the institute are part of, or an extension of, regular official duties.

Awards & Gifts

Wondering how to handle honorary degrees and gifts from outside sources? This webpage will provide the answers.

Outside Activities

Work that is outside of, or not related to, your current official work. It is done outside of your NIH work area, using your own or the outside entity's resources, not government resources.

Financial Disclosure

Help with the Public Financial Disclosure Report (SF-278), Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-450) and HHS Supplemental Financial Disclosure Requirements (5 CFR 5502) forms and instructions.