Notice2022-25031
Findings of Research Misconduct
Primary source
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Published
November 17, 2022
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services Department
Abstract
Findings of research misconduct have been made against Romina Mizrahi, M.D., Ph.D. (Respondent), who was a Clinician Scientist, Positron Emission Tomography Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and an Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto (UT). Respondent engaged in research misconduct in research reported in a grant application submitted for U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) funds, specifically National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant application R01 MH118495-01. The administrative actions, including supervision for a period of one (1) year, were implemented beginning on November 3, 2022, and are detailed below.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 221 (Thursday, November 17, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 221 (Thursday, November 17, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69034-69035]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-25031]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of the Secretary
Findings of Research Misconduct
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Findings of research misconduct have been made against Romina
Mizrahi, M.D., Ph.D. (Respondent), who was a Clinician Scientist,
Positron Emission Tomography Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health (CAMH), and an Associate Professor, Department of Psychology,
University of Toronto (UT). Respondent engaged in research misconduct
in research reported in a grant application submitted for U.S. Public
Health Service (PHS) funds, specifically National Institute of Mental
Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant application
R01 MH118495-01. The administrative actions, including supervision for
a period of one (1) year, were implemented beginning on November 3,
2022, and are detailed below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wanda K. Jones, Dr.P.H., Acting
Director, Office of Research Integrity, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite
240, Rockville, MD 20852, (240) 453-8200.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given that the Office of
Research Integrity (ORI) has taken final action in the following case:
Romina Mizrahi, M.D., Ph.D., Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
and University of Toronto: Based on the report of an investigation
conducted by CAMH and analysis conducted by ORI in its oversight
review, ORI found that Dr. Romina Mizrahi, former Clinician Scientist,
Positron Emission Tomography Centre, CAMH, and an Associate Professor,
Department of Psychology, UT, engaged in research misconduct in
research reported in a grant application submitted for PHS funds,
specifically NIMH, NIH, grant application R01 MH118495-01.
ORI found that Respondent engaged in research misconduct by
intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly falsifying data in the
following grant application:
<bullet> R01 MH118495-01, ``Imaging nociceptin receptors in
clinical high risk
[[Page 69035]]
and first episode psychosis,'' submitted to NIMH, NIH, on February 2,
2018.
Specifically, ORI finds that Respondent knowingly, intentionally,
or recklessly falsified the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) data of
the binding of radiopharmaceutical [\11\C]NOP-1A (NOP) in brain regions
between the patient group and healthy volunteer (HV) group. Respondent
selectively included one (1) and excluded three (3) participants with
their PET data in the HV group and selectively excluded four (4)
participants with their PET data in the patient group, to falsely state
that the NOP binding in the patient group was statistically higher than
that in the HV group in Figure 3, right panel, and the corresponding
text in grant application R01 MH118495-01.
Dr. Mizrahi entered into a Voluntary Settlement Agreement
(Agreement) and voluntarily agreed to the following:
(1) Respondent will have her research supervised for a period of
one (1) year beginning on November 3, 2022 (the ``Supervision
Period''). Prior to the submission of an application for PHS support
for a research project on which Respondent's participation is proposed
and prior to Respondent's participation in any capacity in PHS-
supported research, Respondent will submit a plan for supervision of
Respondent's duties to ORI for approval. The supervision plan must be
designed to ensure the integrity of Respondent's research. Respondent
will not participate in any PHS-supported research until such a
supervision plan is approved by ORI. Respondent will comply with the
agreed-upon supervision plan.
(2) The requirements for Respondent's supervision plan are as
follows:
i. A committee of 2-3 senior faculty members at the institution who
are familiar with Respondent's field of research, but not including
Respondent's supervisor or collaborators, will provide oversight and
guidance for a period of one (1) year from the effective date of the
Agreement. The committee will review primary data from Respondent's
laboratory on a quarterly basis and submit a report to ORI at six (6)
month intervals setting forth the committee meeting dates and
Respondent's compliance with appropriate research standards and
confirming the integrity of Respondent's research.
ii. The committee will conduct an advance review of each
application for PHS funds, or report, manuscript, or abstract involving
PHS-supported research in which Respondent is involved. The review will
include a discussion with Respondent of the primary data represented in
those documents and will include a certification to ORI that the data
presented in the proposed application, report, manuscript, or abstract
are supported by the research record.
(3) During the Supervision Period, Respondent will ensure that any
institution employing her submits, in conjunction with each application
for PHS funds, or report, manuscript, or abstract involving PHS-
supported research in which Respondent is involved, a certification to
ORI that the data provided by Respondent are based on actual
experiments or are otherwise legitimately derived and that the data,
procedures, and methodology are accurately reported and not plagiarized
in the application, report, manuscript, or abstract.
(4) If no supervision plan is provided to ORI, Respondent will
provide certification to ORI at the conclusion of the Supervision
Period that her participation was not proposed on a research project
for which an application for PHS support was submitted and that she has
not participated in any capacity in PHS-supported research.
(5) During the Supervision Period, Respondent will exclude herself
voluntarily from serving in any advisory or consultant capacity to PHS
including, but not limited to, service on any PHS advisory committee,
board, and/or peer review committee.
Dated: November 14, 2022.
Wanda K. Jones,
Acting Director, Office of Research Integrity, Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Health.
[FR Doc. 2022-25031 Filed 11-16-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-31-P
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