Research Ethics Documents
This page contains links to important reference texts on scientific integrity, to seminal reports in the history of the development of the ethical principles of scientific research, and to selected federal policies and laws related to research.
A brief introduction to principles of ethical conduct in research, with illustrative examples for discussion. From the National Academy of Sciences.
By Nicholas Steneck, Ph.D. An introduction to the nine “core instructional areas” designated by the Office of Research Integrity. Text may be downloaded or purchased
Directives for human experimentation developed in the trials of war criminals following Worls War II. (1949)
Ethical principles for physicians and participants in medical research involving human subjects. From the World Medical Association. (1964)
This report outlines ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice and applies them to research involving human subjects. It distinguishes between clinical practice and medical research. From the National (US) Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects. (1979)
This landmark report was commissioned by President Roosevelt and delivered to President Truman by Vannevar Bush. It outlined the importance of scientific research to the national interest and led to the creation of the NIH. (1945)
Officially known as the Patent and Trademark Law Amendment Act of l980, this bill sought to encourage the development of useful inventions by university scientists by enabling those scientists and their universities to profit financially from research performed using government funds. (1980)
The government’s view of “peer review.” (2004)
This is the US Public Health Service’s basic policy on the use of animal subjects in research. The enabling legislation was passed in 1985, the policy was promulgated in 1986, with more recent amendments added.
This is the current rule (updated in 2005) that defines “research misconduct” and specifies institutional responsibility in handling allegations of misconduct. (2005)