One of our most valuable assets at Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Dental Medicine is the integrity of our research and academic programs. The Policies and guidelines found in this booklet are designed to address important issues of scientific integrity that arise in the course of daily academic life. While no set of guidelines can ensure responsible academic conduct, these documents serve to set the high standards of integrity that we expect from all faculty, trainees, and students.

I urge each of you to review these policies and guidelines carefully, to discuss them in your department or laboratory, and to use them as an important resource. I also want to point out in particular important new changes in our policies and in our conflict of interest disclosure process.

• We recently made important revisions and clarifications to the Policy on Conflicts of Interest and Commitment after a lengthy faculty review process. These changes include raising the de minimis levels of permitted financial interests, prohibiting full-time faculty members from holding certain positions in for-profit biomedical companies, and clarifying a number of the provisions and definitions. There is more information on the changes on the attached information sheet.

• We are moving to electronic conflict of interest disclosure through the eCommons tool on the HMS website. Faculty who do not have an email address or who do not have computer access will still be able to submit their disclosure in paper form.

• In May of 2002, we issued new Guidelines for the Attribution of Credit and Disposition of Research Products, which complement our Authorship Guidelines. I am convinced that it is essential for the Faculty of Medicine to have the work of its members accurately reflected when designating authorship, assigning credit, and addressing the disposition of research products.

I look forward to continuing with you the strong tradition of excellence and integrity at Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

Yours sincerely,

Joseph B. Martin, M.D., Ph.D.

Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Table of Contents:

• Guidelines for Investigators in Scientific Research

• Guidelines for Investigators in Clinical Research

• Principles and Procedures for Dealing With Allegations of Faculty Misconduct

• Faculty of Medicine Statement on Research Sponsored by Industry

• Policy on Conflicts of Interest and Commitment

• Guidelines for Editors and Authors of Medical Textbooks

• Authorship Guidelines

• Guidelines for Attribution of Credit and Disposition of Research Products

• Letters of Reference

  
  

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  © 2005President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved.
• Office for Research Issues, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115. (617) 432-3191.
  
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