Guidelines for handling calls from reporters about research misconduct
Q. I received a call from a reporter who asked me to comment on questions that were raised about a colleague's published paper. She hinted there were suspicions of misconduct that could lead to retraction of a very high-profile paper. I asked her to email me a copy of the concerns. I reviewed the concerns and am certain this is not misconduct. I would like to defend my colleague from such outrageous accusations. What can I do?
A. While you have the best interests of your colleague in mind, it is important to follow institutional procedures to protect both your colleague and the institution. You should be aware of two important policies: 1) the school of medicine's Procedures for Dealing with Issues of Research Misconduct and 2) the school of medicine's guidelines on Working with News Media.
Any allegation of misconduct, regardless of the source, is taken very seriously by the school of medicine. As a recipient of federal funding, the school is required to follow a set procedure in reviewing allegations. The process is highly confidential and is designed to protect the interests of the individuals involved in the matter. Any allegation of misconduct, whether or not it turns out to have merit, can prove extremely damaging to the reputation of our faculty.
It is important that concerns about research misconduct are handled through the proper process rather than being aired in the media. The Office of Policy Coordination's Division of Research Integrity, which manages the review of misconduct allegations, works with the Media Relations Office to develop the appropriate response to media questions about misconduct allegations. This often includes a contingency statement for responding to direct questions from members of the media.
(If you have any questions about these policies, call the Office of Policy Coordination at (410) 516-5560 or Kim Hoppe, director of media relations and public affairs, at 410-502-9430.)
Faculty and staff are strongly discouraged from granting interviews or engaging in conversations with members of the media, whether in person, on the phone or by email. Please refer any inquiries from the media to the media relations team in the Johns Hopkins Medicine Marketing and Communications Department.
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