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Guest Editor: Caroline Whitbeck

This special issue advances the study of ethical research conduct beyond the quasi-legal discussions of criteria for research misconduct that have dominated discussion of research conduct since the mid 1980s. Although clear criteria and good procedures for handling misconduct charges are important, this issue makes a major contribution to the recently reawakened interest in the subtler and more common concerns that bear on trustworthy research conduct. It examines the interconnections among the ethical problems that arise in research and offers potential means for strengthening the morally sound and well-founded trust on which the research enterprise depends.

Issue Editors: Terrell Ward Bynum and Simon Rogerson

Every day, organizations implement new computer systems for efficiency gains and improved performance. While such systems may be deemed successful within this context, far too often success is achieved at a price ˜ for example, breakdown of social grouping within the workplace, deskilling of jobs, over-reliance on technology and downsizing of organizations. Addressing these concerns is the function of Computer Ethics, an interdisciplinary field embracing computer science, information systems, philosophy, law, sociology, and other fields.

This special issue presents selected papers from ETHICOMP95, an international conference held in the UK in February 1995, which address many of these ethical and social concerns enumerated above.

Guest Editor: Arthur E. Stamps III

Peer review research raises two basic questions; (a) how does current peer review operate, and (b) how can it be improved? Topics explored in this issue include descriptions of how peer review is used in Federal agencies, whether peer review leads to better manuscripts, demographic characteristics of authors or reviewers, blinding of reviewers, authors, or results, reliability and consistency of reviews, accepting a paper before the study is done, simultaneous submission, and use of dispute resolution procedures such as scientific dialectical and pleading protocols.

Editors: Stephanie J. Bird and Diane Hoffman-Kim

This dedicated issue examines the experience of whistleblowing, its societal context and ways in which the scientific community, especially professional societies and academic institutions, can create an environment and procedures to respond to whistleblowing. The papers and comment pieces explore challenges posed to whistleblowers and to the scientific community to uphold the standards of the community without necessarily jeopardizing the career and life of the whistleblower. Also examined are ways in which the scientific community can make whistleblowing a less contentious process, and more productive in achieving the goals of science.

Editors: R. E. Spier, S. P. Nichols and C. M. Skooglund

This special issue draws together views by ethics and policy specialists from government and universities representing European and American institutions. Three themes of particular interest to technologically based industries are explored including:

-distortion of the international marketplace through financial inducements with position papers from the U.S. State Department and the Council of Europe;

-quality control issues including the role of standards in assuring quality with examples from the software industry and in the environmental context; engineers’ responsibilities in lesser developed nations; and educating engineering students in a range of ethical concerns which will affect their professional lives;

-funding of research and development with a position paper from the OECD looking at public funding for Industrial R&D, and varying views on industrial funding for University R&D projects.

Issue Editors: Stephanie J. Bird and Alicia K. Dustira

This special issue draws together a major collection of papers and commentaries on the subject of scientific misconduct in the United States. Contributions document differing practical approaches to dealing with misconduct issues, examine the complexity of developing a government-wide definition, and predict concerns that will affect the scientific community in the future.

Authors include scientists, ethics scholars, lawyers and policy specialists from the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Office of Research Integrity, National Science Foundation, Institute of Medicine and leading academic institutions.

Issue Editors: Raymond Spier and Andrzej Gorski

Explored in this issue are the efforts being made by several countries to respond to scientific misconduct and promote the responsible conduct of research. General points examined include: 1) procedures for responding to allegations of scientific misconduct should be developed before an allegation is received; 2) responding to allegations of scientific misconduct involves science and law; 3) guidelines need to be developed that delineate good scientific practice; 4) educational programs on good scientific practice need to be developed for all researchers; 5) international cooperation on responding to scientific misconduct and promoting research integrity should continue. Contributions from Poland, Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Issue Editors: Stephanie J. Bird and Alicia K. Dustira

This special issue draws together a major collection of papers and commentaries on the subject of scientific misconduct in the United States. Contributions document differing practical approaches to dealing with misconduct issues, examine the complexity of developing a government-wide definition, and predict concerns that will affect the scientific community in the future.

Authors include scientists, ethics scholars, lawyers and policy specialists from the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Office of Research Integrity, National Science Foundation, Institute of Medicine and leading academic institutions.

Issue Editors: Stephanie J. Bird and Jinnie M. Garrett

This special issue draws together a major collection of papers which examine the subject of "Communicating Science" both within the scientific community as well as to policy makers and members of the public at large. The accurate communication of scientific and technological advances is imperative within society in order to foster appropriate decision-making. The process of conveying scientific information to non-specialists often involves intermediaries, e.g. educators and journalists. There are many points at which it is useful to consider how to make this process more successful. Such considerations formed the basis for an interdisciplinary conference on "Communicating Science" held at Hamilton College in upstate New York in November 1998. Several papers from that conference along with invited commentaries are presented in this issue. The papers, authored by scientists, academics, educators and journalists are categorized into those dealing with communication within the scientific community, problems of communicating science to non-specialists, and observations on how the dialogue beween scientists and journalists can be improved.

Issue Editors: Stephanie J. Bird and Robert L. Sprague

Mentoring is an area of increasing importance within the academic community. This extended issue brings together nine major papers and accompanying commentaries examining the relationship between mentoring and the responsible conduct of research. Contributions include thoughtful philosophical pieces, collections of data with interpretations, and examples of the practical application of mentoring both individually and in groups.

Editor: Andrzej Grski

This extended issue contains the proceedings of an international conference held in Warsaw, Poland (April 2002) with contributions from 20 nations, including a message from Pope John Paul II. Themes include: the globalization of science; the widespread presence of conflicts of interest in biomedical research; differences between academic research and research conducted by industry. Examined are; the need for transparency to ensure objectivity in research; the need to share experiences of how conflict has been managed; and the need for behavioral research to provide a sound empirical understanding of the best ways to provide informed consent for research subjects.

Editors: G. R. Evans and D.E. Packham

Based on a conference sponsored by the Council for Academic Autonomy and the Council for Academic Freedom and Academic Standards (May 2001), this special issue consists of papers examining problems and the way forward in developing best practice in the area of research relationships between universities and industry. Topics examined include: cases where academic freedom and commercial confidentiality conflict; ethical implications of research relationships between academic institutions and industry; G.A.T.S. and Universities: implications for research; views on conflict of interest in biomedical research from Eastern and Western Europe. Papers by leading researchers including Nancy Olivieri, David Healy, George Monbiot and David Weatherall.

Issue Editors: Stephanie J. Bird and Mark S. Frankel

Over the past two decades, public disclosures of highly questionable research behavior by scientists have prompted a reexamination of the blend of formal and informal mechanisms, ranging from education to regulation and many stops in between, intended to promote responsible research conduct. While universities and government have received the bulk of attention by those seeking to improve ethical behavior among researchers, the scientific societies also merit serious consideration. Scientific societies function as an important source of professional identity for scientists. As visible, stable, and enduring institutions, they have served as the custodian for a discipline's norms and traditions, transmitting them to their members and helping to translate them into accepted research practices. As reported in this special issue of Science and Engineering Ethics, societies have accepted a role for themselves in promoting ethical research conduct. What they do, how well they do it, and what more they can/should do are matters at the core of this volume.

Editors: Andrzej Grski and Raymond E. Spier

This issue contains the Proceedings of an International Conference .Placebo: Its Action and Place in Health Research Today. held in Warsaw, Poland, 12-13 April 2003. Leading international institutions, organizations, and authorities have been engaged in discussions on placebo use, yet have not been able to reach a consensus. The primary goal of this conference was to provide an international forum to summarize the currently available information, opinions and positions of competent organizations and experts in the hope that the placebo will continue its function as an important tool in clinical research while the high ethical standards of this research are preserved.

Editor: J. Michael Stebbins

The proceedings of the third conference on .Ethics and Social Responsibility in Engineering and Technology . Building Ethics into Professionalism., co-sponsored by Gonzaga University and Louisiana State University, New Orleans, 15-17 October 2003; The conference explored themes including theoretical concepts and models applicable to engineering ethics, organizational ethics for engineers, ethical issues in professional practice, ethics education for practicing engineers and teaching ethics to undergraduate students.

Editors: Andrzej Grski and Raymond E. Spier

Volume 11, Number 1 (January 2005)

Patenting in medicine and biotechnology is a controversial area. Ethical problems in this area include: the high price of patent-protected drugs; the unequal distribution of benefits between highly and poorly developed countries; limits on access of researchers to patent-protected inventions; and safeguarding the rights of the patients participating in the research. However, by issuing patent protections, the government makes it possible that individuals engaged in scientific research are provided access to the necessary financial means to conduct the research and a return of the costs borne, which would not be possible if uncontrolled copying of inventions were permitted; the system has proven itself as a catalyst for innovative ideas. Most papers in this issue were presented at the 5th International Conference on Bioethics held in Warsaw, Poland, 23-24 April 2004

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