Guiding principles

 

International statements on research integrity, documents that serve research integrity and universal guiding principles.

 

  • Belmont Report

    This report summarises ethical principles and guidelines for research involving human subjects.

  • Helsinki Declaration

    A set of ethical principles regarding human experimentation developed for the medical community by World Medical Association.

  • NRF/USAF statement

    Since the global adoption of the Singapore Statement on Research Integrity in 2010, which the NRF, USAF and other bodies have endorsed, adherence to its principles has not improved. In support of ensuring quality research of high integrity in South Africa and globally, the NRF and USAF have released a statement to reiterate to the South African research community the fundamental principles of scholarly research and publishing and appeal to this community to act demonstrably in advancing research integrity.

  • Global Code of Conduct for Research in Resource-Poor Settings
    ENDORSED BY SENATE

    Senate welcomes the Global Code of Conduct for Research in Resource-Poor Settings. This is an important and necessary statement of principles and procedures with regard to research ethics to be followed when researchers from the global North engage in research in Africa and other ‘resource poor settings’. The Global Code complements the policies already adopted by Senate to ensure that UCT researchers maintain the highest ethical standards. Senate supports the adoption of the Global Code subject to recognizing that UCT researchers remain subject, first and foremost, to UCT’s own research ethics policies.

  • Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights

    While bioethics today includes medical ethics issues, it goes much further than the various professional codes of ethics concerned. It entails reflection on social changes and even on global balances brought by by scientific and technological developments.

 

 

 

South African governance of research

 

Some guiding documents, legislation and resources for researchers for understanding research ethics in the South African context.

 

  • Constitution of the Republic of South Africa

    The Constitution is the supreme law of the country. It provides the legal framework within South Africa. Chapter 2, Sections 10 (Human Dignity), 12 (Freedom and Security of the Person) and 14 (Privacy) are of particular relevance to research integrity.

  • Health Research in South Africa

    This guidance is intended to help UCT researchers outside of the Faculty of Health Sciences who plan to conduct health research - as defined broadly in the South African law - and who must seek and obtain prior approval of a registered ethics committee such as the Health Research Ethics Committee (HREC) at UCT.

  • Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act 35 of 1984)

    This Act provides for the control of animal diseases and parasites and, measures promoting animal health. Section 20 of this Act specifically refers to the use of animals and animal-based products in research. The authority which oversees the implementation of this Act is the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF).

 

 

 

Additional information and sources of training

 

Useful books and documents, both South African and global, to help researchers navigate issues of research integrity.

 

  • The NC3Rs ARRIVE Guidelines
    ENDORSED BY THE SENATE ANIMAL ETHICS COMMITTEE

    The UK National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs)' ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) guidelines are intended to improve the reporting of research using animals - maximising information published and minimising unnecessary studies. The ARRIVE guidelines, originally published in PLOS Biology, were developed in consultation with the scientific community as part of an NC3Rs initiative to improve the standard of reporting of research using animals. Details of the guidelines can be found here.

  • Ethical Quandaries in Social Research (eds Deborah Posel & Fiona Ross, HSRC Press, 2015)

    The book opens up a space of frank discussion about the often unsettling, messy realities of ethical decision-making in the thick of social research. All the contributors write in the first person about personal experiences of research. They expose tensions within professional codes of ethics, as well as a range of dilemmas that arose when personal ethical convictions jostled with disciplinary and institutional ethical imperatives. The book is unique in spanning a range of research scenarios, qualitative and quantitative, across different disciplines, fields of study and institutional settings.

  • Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI)

    CITI Programs include courses about the responsible conduct of research, animal care and use in research, biosafety and biosecurity, export control, good clinical practices, information privacy and security and human subjects research.

  • Office of Research Integrity, US Department of Health and Human Services

    This website provides statutes, regulations, and policies applicable to US federally funded research; guidance in the topical areas of human subject research, publication/authorship, research misconduct, animal resources, mentorship, data management, collaborative science, conflicts of interest and commitment, peer review; and tutorials, webinars and online education modules.

  • Public Responsibility in Medicine & Research (PRIM&R)

    PRIM&R is global resource on research ethics, promoting dialogue and debate to inform public policy and to enhance the application of ethical practices in the conduct of biomedical, social science, behavioral and educational research. PRIM&R offers conferences, webinars, 'Knowledge Center' resources, case studies, tools and comprehensive publications to support the responsible conduct of research.

 

 

 

For more information on research integrity contact the Office of Research Integrity