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British Physicians Propose National Misconduct Panel

Volume 10, No. 1, December 2001

Physicians have proposed the formation of a national panel to handle investigations of misconduct in biomedical research in Britain, according to Nature. The panel would also provide research institutions with guidelines for good scientific practice and advice for dealing with misconduct allegations.

Currently, only physicians who conduct research are subject to investigation by the United Kingdom's General Medical Council. British scientists conducting similar work are not monitored by any national group. The physicians hope the panel will include members from academia, medicine, and industry. The panel would focus on helping institutions set their own guidelines and conduct their own investigations. The proposal's backers are seeking government funding to support the panel.