2
Jul2015

If the Field Fits, Work in it: An Interview with Edith Paal

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2 Jul
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By Nora Murphy, membership assistant


Welcome to another installment of our featured member interviews where we introduce you to our members—individuals who work to advance ethical research on a daily basis. Please read on to learn more about Edith Paal, MSJ, MPH, CHRC, CIP, IRB program manager at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Nora Murphy (NM): When and why did you join the field?
Edith Paal (EP): I joined the field in 2003 after working as a journalist and scientific writer. I worked for nine years as an auditor, then as an auditing manager in the University of Arkansas for Medical [...] Read more

30
Jun2015

Risk of Groupthink

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30 Jun
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Collaborative discussions are not unique to the research ethics community. One can assume that every day, all over the world, there are many groups sitting in rooms trying to come to consensus on issues.

Given our near-universal constraint of time in a day, and the range of knowledge in any given room, these discussions can—often inadvertently—lean towards “groupthink,” where the attempt is made to minimize conflict, and in doing so reach a consensus without considering all viewpoints. Think of it as one of those “everyone agree?…[brief pause]…good, moving on...” situations.


When this happens, some in the group may feel uncomfortable dissenting, and a decision is made without considering all opinions. [...] Read more

26
Jun2015

Promoting Animal Welfare through Ethical Service: Servant Leadership and the IACUC

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26 Jun
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By Angela Craig, DVM, lab animal veterinarian and institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) member at the University of Minnesota

Have you ever had this experience? You learn something new, such as an interesting concept or novel word, and suddenly that concept or word comes up repeatedly in a variety of situations over the next few weeks or months. Whether it is a coincidence or just your mind recognizing something that is now familiar, it is an interesting phenomenon.

I’ve recently had this experience with the concept of ‘servant leadership,’ which I was introduced to while participating in a mentorship program for veterinary students. Since then, I feel like I have [...] Read more

25
Jun2015

#TBT: Looking Back at PRIM&R’s 2011 SBER Conference

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25 Jun
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It’s been four years since PRIM&R’s last Social, Behavioral, and Educational Research (SBER) Conference and, this November, we will host the 2015 SBER Conference in Boston, MA. As we get ready for this year’s event, let’s look back at topics discussed in 2011 to see how they have transformed and evolved over the years.

Issues around data sharing and privacy have been widely discussed in our community, but they’re not new; even back at the 2011 SBER Conference, these issues were important themes:

In his keynote address, Alex (Sandy) Pentland, PhD, Toshiba professor of media [...] Read more

24
Jun2015

2015 IACUC Conference: Say Anything, We’re Listening

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24 Jun
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By Maeve Luthin, professional development manager

PRIM&R’s 2015 Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Conference brought over 600 individuals from around the world together, in Boston, MA and online through the Virtual Meeting. Approximately 61% of these attendees provided feedback about the conference by completing evaluations.

Better Off Read: We saw a spike in the number of respondents who rated the educational materials and handouts for this program as either excellent or very good. This appears to be the result of a combination of two factors: a record number of faculty members shared their slide decks and session materials in advance of [...] Read more

19
Jun2015

Research Ethics Roundup: Addressing Poverty Through Randomized Controlled Trials, Lessons from Science Fraud, and More

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19 Jun
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Traditional research methodologies are being used to address a number of longstanding challenges, including how to make health care more efficient and effective, and how to fight poverty. This week’s Research Ethics Roundup sheds light on the role of research in answering those questions, as well as other stories related to research ethics and oversight.


Don’t Weaken the FDA’s Drug Approval Process: The 21st Century Cures Act proposes significant changes to the approval process for many medical products. In this opinion piece for The New York Times, Gregg Gonsalves, Mark Harington, and David A. Kessler warn that “Congress should [...] Read more