of Ethics Online Collection:None
Code of Ethics
Members of the ASBMB are engaged in the quest for knowledge in biochemical and molecular biological sciences with the ultimate goal of advancing human welfare. Underlying this quest is the fundamental principle of trust. The ASBMB encourages its members to engage in the responsible practice of research required for such trust by fulfilling the following obligations.The Council of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology has approved a Code of Ethics for the Society that had been developed during 1997 by the Society's Public Affairs Advisory Committee, chaired by Dr. Howard K. Schachman, University of California at Berkeley. The initial draft was prepared by committee member Dr. Frederick Grinnell, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. The Committee approved the Code in December 1997, with Council approval following in January 1998. The code appears in its entirety below.
In fulfilling OBLIGATIONS TO THE PUBLIC, it is EXPECTED that:
investigators will promote and follow practices that enhance
the public interest or well-being;
investigators will use funds appropriately in the pursuit
of their research;
investigators will follow government and institutional requirements
regulating research such as those ensuring the welfare of
human subjects, the comfort and humane treatment of animal
subjects and the protection of the environment;
investigators will report research findings resulting from
public funding in a full, open, and timely fashion to the
scientific community; and
investigators will share unique propagative materials developed
through publicly-funded research with other scientists in
a reasonable fashion.
In fulfilling OBLIGATIONS TO OTHER investigators, it
is EXPECTED that:
investigators will have actually carried out experiments
as reported;
investigators will represent their best understanding of their work in their descriptions and analyses of it;
investigators will accurately describe methods used in experiments;
investigators will not report the work of others as if it were their own;
investigators in their publications will adequately summarize
previous relevant work;
investigators acting as reviewers will treat submitted manuscripts
and grant applications confidentially and avoid inappropriate
use; and
investigators will disclose financial and other interests
that might present a conflict-of-interest in their various
activities such as reporting research results, serving as
reviewers, and mentoring students.
In fulfilling OBLIGATIONS TO TRAINEES, it is EXPECTED that:
investigators serving as mentors will provide training
and experience to advance the trainees' scientific skills
and knowledge of ethical research practices; Investigators
will provide appropriate help in advancing the careers of
the trainees;
investigators will recognize research contributions of the
trainees appropriately;
investigators will encourage and support the publication of
results of trainees' research in a timely fashion without
undisclosed limitations; and
investigators will create and maintain a working environment that encourages cultural diversity.
