Report Ethics Concerns to Ethics Point

The University’s Compliance Line is a secure method through which to submit an anonymous report regarding research compliance either online or by telephone. All reports submitted through the Compliance Line will be given careful attention by appropriate UNC-Chapel Hill offices and officials. Anyone filing a report via the Compliance Line should retain the report key and password and return to the website within 10 working days to check for comments or follow-up questions.

Contact Ethics Point

Examples of Noncompliance

Animal Research Noncompliance

Failure to obtain IACUC approval for animal research project;
unapproved deviation from IACUC approved protocol;
failure to follow IACUC or DLAM policies or procedures for care and use of research animals.

Conflict of Interest

Failure to properly complete and update conflict of interest disclosure forms with accurate personal or financial interests;
failure to comply with the terms of a conflict of interest management plan.

Export Control Violations

Violations of export control regulations including both physical exports and deemed exports.

Human Subjects Research Noncompliance

Failure to obtain IRB approval for human subjects research project;
failure to follow research procedures as outlined in the protocol/research plan reviewed and approved by the IRB (this covers a wide range of issues, such as failure to obtain informed consent, failure to obtain IRB approval for study modifications, enrolling subjects who do not meet inclusion/exclusion criteria, altering visit schedules);
continuation of research activities after a study has expired;
failure to report unanticipated problems or adverse events (in a timely manner);
failure to follow the federal regulations, state and local laws, institutional policies governing human subject research, or the requirements or determinations of the IRB.

Misuse of Intellectual Property or Confidential Information

Unauthorized and unlawful disclosure of confidential information including inventions, research and technical data, formulas, discoveries, designs, improvements, ideas, manufacturing directives, computer programs, trademarks, patents, copyrights, unpublished financial or pricing information and all related documentation.

Scientific Misconduct to Research Misconduct

Fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism, in proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research.
- Fabrication is making up data or results and recording or reporting them.
- Falsification is manipulating research materials, equipment or processes, or changing or omitting data or results, such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.
- Plagiarism is the appropriation of another person’s ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit.
Research misconduct does not include honest error or differences of opinion.