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NIH has acted to protect confidential information handled by peer reviewers, but it could do more
NIH has acted to protect confidential information handled by peer reviewers, but it could do more
- Collection:
- Health Policy and Services Research
- Series Title(s):
- Report in brief (United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Inspector General)
- Contributor(s):
- United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Inspector General. Office of Evaluation and Inspections, issuing body.
- Publication:
- [Washington, D.C.] : U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, March 2020
- Language(s):
- English
- Format:
- Text
- Subject(s):
- Government Regulation
Intellectual Property
Peer Review, Research -- ethics
United States
United States. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health (U.S.) - Genre(s):
- Technical Report
- Abstract:
- Why OIG Did This Review. Congress, NIH, and Federal intelligence agencies have raised concerns about foreign threats to the integrity of U.S. medical research and intellectual property. This includes foreign programs that may unduly influence and capitalize on NIH-funded research. In August 2018, NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins raised concerns that peer reviewers—who have unique access to confidential information in grant applications—were, in some cases, inappropriately sharing this information with foreign entities. Subsequently, Congress appropriated funding for the Office of Inspector General to conduct oversight of NIH grant programs and operations, including examining the effectiveness of NIH’s efforts to protect intellectual property derived from NIH-supported research. This study describes and assesses NIH’s oversight of peer reviewers’ handling of confidential information. How OIG Did This Review. We interviewed NIH staff at the Office of Extramural Research, the Center for Scientific Review, the Office of Management Assessment, and the Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy about their roles in setting and implementing policy related to peer reviewers’ handling of confidential information. We also reviewed NIH policies, guidance, and training materials related to oversight of peer reviewers. Lastly, we collected information from NIH about its investigations of peer reviewers and about any actions it has taken against reviewers who disclosed confidential information. What OIG Found. NIH has policies and procedures to protect the confidentiality of the peer review process and takes action against reviewers who disclose information. To prevent disclosures, NIH requires all peer reviewers to sign electronic nondisclosure certifications and trains peer reviewers to keep the information in grant applications private. To detect potential disclosures, NIH relies primarily on peer reviewers to report suspicious activity by other reviewers, but the agency is starting to use technology to detect disclosures. NIH has taken a range of actions against peer reviewers found to have disclosed confidential information, including terminating the reviewer’s service or referring the reviewer to law enforcement for investigation. NIH actively responds to instances of suspected undue foreign influence in peer review, but the agency is in the early stages of addressing this threat systemically. NIH learns of instances of potential undue foreign influence in peer review primarily from its national security partners and from NIH staff. It has responded to these instances on a case-by-case basis. NIH is developing an approach to address foreign-influence concerns systemically—through general oversight—in addition to responding to specific incidents.
- Copyright:
- The National Library of Medicine believes this item to be in the public domain. (More information)
- Extent:
- 1 online resource (1 PDF file (25 pages))
- NLM Unique ID:
- 9918282080006676 (See catalog record)
- Permanent Link:
- http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/9918282080006676