Research Integrity, Ethics & Compliance
Our Dedication to Research Integrity
The Department of Compliance at Beth Israel Lahey Health, in coordination with Harvard Medical School, is committed to ensuring the integrity of the research mission and making sure that research is conducted in accordance with the highest professional, ethical and legal standards. Research misconduct is defined as fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing or reviewing research, and/or in reporting research results.
- Fabrication is making up data or results and recording or reporting them.
- Falsification is manipulating research materials, equipment or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.
- Plagiarism is appropriating another person's ideas, processes, results or words without giving appropriate credit.
Research misconduct is . . .
- When there is a significant departure from accepted practices of the relevant research community
- When a person committed the misconduct intentionally, knowingly or recklessly
- When the allegation is proven by a preponderance of the evidence
Research misconduct is not . . .
- Disputes regarding honest error or good faith differences in interpretations or judgments of data
- Authorship disputes such as complaints about the appropriate ranking or inclusion/exclusion of co-authors
More About Research Integrity & Compliance
If you have reason to believe that research misconduct has occurred, BIDMC recommends that you have a discussion with the institution’s Research Integrity Officer (RIO) to discuss your concerns. The RIO is responsible for assessing research misconduct claims, determining when the research claim needs to move into an Inquiry for fact-finding purposes, and ensuring that the institution’s policy and procedures are followed properly (RS-06 Responding to Allegations of Research Misconduct).
Andi Hernandez, Vice President of Research Operations, serves as the institution’s Research Integrity Officer. You may contact her by email.
If you prefer to report a research compliance concern or conflict of interest anonymously, you may do so confidentially and anonymously at:
- BIDMC Compliance Helpline: 888-753-6533
- Online: Visit our Helpline website
BIDMC is committed to conducting research in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Research Compliance Program covers all areas of research, regardless of the funding source or the nature of the project.
"Compliance is an overall term for the way we conduct ourselves at work. We are expected to work with integrity, to do the right thing and to do things the right way." Kevin Tabb, MD, CEO
The Research Compliance program is administered through the Office of Compliance and Business Conduct. Our office promotes the responsible and ethical conduct of research, collaboration between programs and a culture of compliance among all members of the BIDMC workforce. We also serve as a resource to the Research Community to address questions or concerns regarding the legal and ethical obligations affecting research.
Research Compliance has a broad area of focus and will assist with any compliance matter affecting the research community, some of these areas include:
- Animal Research
- Biologics and Toxins
- Controlled Substances
- Data Acquisition, Management and Security
- Export Control
- Grants & Contracts Management
- Human Subjects Research
- Radiation Safety
- Research Safety
Ways that we help achieve research compliance:
- Promote ethical behavior, integrity in our interactions and compliance with regulatory requirements and institutional policies and procedures
- Foster a culture of integrity
- Support an environment where individuals ask questions and report real or potential compliance related concerns
- Serve as a resource and provide guidance
- Provide education and training
- Conduct risk assessments and operational audits (random or targeted)
- Monitor regulatory and other relevant changes
- Proactively communicate new rules and regulations to prevent compliance or ethical issues before they happen
- Assist with policy development
- Take appropriate action in the event that potentially unethical or non-compliant activity occurs
