Title: Reporting Findings in a Timely Manner

Author: Matthew Wroblewski and Tristan McIntosh

Description: A researcher on the cutting edge of science fails to publish impactful findings because they are more interested in securing future funding.

Keyword(s): Publication Practices, The Scientist as Responsible Member of Society

Case: Dr. Taylor was the principal investigator of a multi-million dollar research project funded by the National Institutes of Health(NIH). The project was a 10-year longitudinal study to monitor outcomes of pig-to-human liver transplantation in adults with acute liver failure in the United States. The study is complete and has yielded promising research findings that could have a serious, immediate impact on animal-to-human transplantation practices. However, Dr. Taylor has a number of other grant deadlines fast approaching, and has decided to work on the grant applications before writing and publishing the promising findings from his grant.

  1. What are the key ethical issues in this case?
  2. What would you do this in this situation?
  3. Should Dr. Taylor reconsider his approach in this scenario? Why or why not?
  4. If the findings from this study were to be published in a timely manner, who could benefit?