Do Scientists Need Stronger Database Protection?

• Activity Number: 337
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 14, 2002 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Cmte on Professional Ethics
• Author(s): George Gardenier*+ and David Resnik and John Gardenier
• Affiliation(s): Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and Brody School of Medicine and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Keywords: Academic ethos ; Research misconduct ; Information technology ; Database protection ; Biomedical patents ; Ethical dilemmas

Abstract

Openness, the sharing of ideas, data, methods, and results, is one of the pillars of the academic ethos. There are many reasons why researchers should be willing to abide by and honor this ethical principle. First, openness is important in peer review and the replication of results. Second, openness contributes to cooperation and collegiality in science. Third, openness is important in the public accountability of research. On the other hand, there are also many reasons why researchers may feel obligated to not share ideas, data, methods, and results, including concerns about intellectual property; the desire to protect originality and priority; the need to protect research from premature disclosure; the desire to avoid adverse publicity; and confidentiality in peer review, human subjects research, business, and military research. Thus, researchers must confront ethical dilemmas related to the sharing of ideas, data, methods, and results on an almost daily basis. In addition, recent information technologies have introduced new twists to these perennial issues. This paper will summarize data sharing issues and examine debates about database protection and biomedical patents.