Villejuif, 18 june 2019

Gustave Roussy reaffirms its commitment to research integrity

On Thursday 13 June, Prof. Eric Solary, Director of Research at Gustave Roussy, signed up to the French Charter for Research Integrity on behalf of the Institute, in the presence of Joëlle Alnot, Director of the French Office for Research Integrity (Ofis).

Ratifying this charter is a strong affirmation of Gustave Roussy’s dedication to the fundamental principles of research integrity, joining the large and growing number of public institutions engaged in higher education and research who have already signed up. Through its innovation, training and research work, Gustave Roussy aims to help consolidate the relationship of trust between the research community and society at large.

“This is a strong message from Gustave Roussy to all of the institute’s employees, to all other institutions combining care, research and training, and to the scientific community as a whole, in light of the challenges and stakes at play here,” enthuses Joëlle Alnot.

This new move represents a logical continuation of the proactive policy initiated in 2017, when Prof. Jean Feunteun was appointed as Gustave Roussy’s Research Integrity Officer. During the signing ceremony, Prof. Feunteun reiterated his conviction that, “while ethical matters will always be a open to debate, research integrity is not.”

The French Charter for Research Integrity ^[1] explicitly sets “the professional responsibilities ensuring a rigorous and trustworthy scientific approach, and will apply in the context of all national and international partnerships.” It is broken down into seven core principles:

• compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements;
• reliability of research work;
• communication;
• responsibility in collective work;
• impartiality and independence in assessment and expertise;
• collaborative work and plurality of activities;
• training.

“Respect for research integrity is a constant priority at Gustave Roussy. Our signature of the national charter is an important part of our efforts to raise awareness of these issues and support our researchers and the students whom they teach and supervise. We remain totally committed to these principles, which apply to all forms of medical and scientific research conducted at the institute.” Professor Solary concluded.

^[1] Available to download on the hceres.fr website

Gustave Roussy

Europe’s leading centre in the fight against cancer, Gustave Roussy is an institute dedicated to care, research and teaching. The institute treats patients suffering from all forms of the disease.

Adopting an integrated approach which combines research, care and teaching in the best interest of patients, Gustave Roussy bridges the gaps between fundamental, clinical and translational research.

The institute’s ambition is to keep pushing back the frontiers of science, reinventing cancer care and exploring all possible sources of innovation. Gustave Roussy is devoted to a high quality, less invasive and more personal approach to medicine, putting cutting-edge research, avant-garde technologies and innovative services to work in the interests of patients and their families.

Ofis

Founded in March 2017, the French Office for Research Integrity (OFIS) is a division of the French High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (Hcéres). OFIS is a national, interdisciplinary organisation with three key responsibilities:

• expert guidance for institutions working to meet their obligations;
• observation, supervision and sharing of best practices in research integrity;
• helping to define and coordinate a national policy on research integrity.

The French Council for Research Integrity (CoFIS) is responsible for steering and supervising the work of Ofis.

Website: www.hceres.fr/fr/integrite-scientifique

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