Is failure to raise concerns about misconduct a breach of integrity? Researchers’ reflections on reporting misconduct

ABSTRACT

This article describes and discusses the views of researchers on the significance of raising concerns about scientific misconduct in their work environment and the reasons or circumstances that might deter them from doing so. In this exploratory qualitative research study, we conducted in-depth interviews with 33 researchers working in life sciences and medicine. They represent three seniority levels and five universities across Switzerland. A large majority of respondents in this research study argued that failure to raise concerns about scientific misconduct compromises research integrity. This is an encouraging result demonstrating that researchers try to adhere to high ethical standards. However, further interaction with respondents highlighted that this correct ethical assessment does not lead researchers to take the consequent action of raising concerns. The factors that discourage researchers from raising concerns need to be addressed at the level of research groups, institutions, and by setting a positive precedent which helps them to believe in the system’s ability to investigate concerns raised in a timely and professional manner. Training of researchers in research integrity related issues will have limited utility unless it is coupled with the creation of research culture where raising concerns is a standard practice of scientific and research activities.

KEYWORDS:

• Barriers to reporting misconduct
• obligation to report misconduct
• qualitative research
• Raising concerns about misconduct
• RCR education and instruction
• research integrity
• research misconduct
• responsible conduct of research
• whistleblowing

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the respondents of this study for sharing their experience and time, and to the ‘Swiss Clinical Trial Organization’ and ‘Life Sciences Switzerland’ for their support in participant recruitment. We thank the editor and the section editor of the journal and the reviewers - Prof. Lex M. Bouter and Ms. Noémie Aubert Bonn whose comments helped us strengthen the manuscript. We also thank the research assistants for their support in interview transcription.

Supplemental Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Notes

¹ After the revision of May 3rd, 2018, the earlier document is no longer accessible online on the website of University of Basel. This document was last accessed and verified on April 25th, 2018.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences through the Käthe-Zingg-Schwichtenberg grant awarded to David Shaw.