PREVAIL STAFF RECEIVE TRAINING ON THE RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH

By: Chris Worthington, Caeul Lim, Jestina Doe-Anderson

Imagine a world where everything is done right. There would be little room for demonstration of integrity.

We don’t live in that kind of world. In our world, things that were once done wrong can be done right; things that could be done wrong can be avoided; and things that have been done right can be done better. That is the thinking behind the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR), which is defined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as “the practice of scientific investigation with integrity.”

Research organizations worldwide require researchers to receive training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research. NIH also mandates it for anyone conducting NIH-sponsored research. PREVAIL, too, is committed to conducting research ethically and with integrity, as demonstrated by its inaugural training on RCR principles and practices.

Inaugural RCR Training

In April 2024, over 100 PREVAIL staff received RCR training. This training was intended primarily for staff who:

1. had access to study participant data or samples and
2. were likely to develop and author manuscripts for publication and/or develop abstracts and presentations based on PREVAIL data or activities.

The 7-hour, 2-module course was delivered inperson by RCR experts who also had experience as trainers. Guidance on instructional design for adult learning was provided by the Leidos Learning and Professional Development team and based on the National Institutes of Health’s Responsible Conduct of Research training. Content was developed from learning objectives provided and approved by Leidos Biomed’s Ethics and Compliance team and FHIC management (the sub-contractor responsible for oversight and management of PREVAIL activities at the time).

The training included Authorship and Peer Review, Understanding and Preventing Research Misconduct, and the Research Misconduct Allegation Process. It was tailored to research activities performed by PREVAIL, with real-world examples. ‘Pulse checks’ were used to gauge participants’ understanding throughout the course.

To successfully complete the training, participants had to achieve a minimum score of 80% in a multiple-choice assessment of each module. Individuals who did not achieve the required score could retake the exam.

Out of 101 researchers who took the training, 77 passed the assessments after one attempt. By the end of May, all participants had successfully completed both modules. A further 36 non-research PREVAIL staff also took the opportunity of RCR training. Despite not having a research background, they were all fully engaged in the training, and more than 60% satisfactorily completed it, illustrating the depth of interest in research integrity across the organization. Participants were also invited to anonymously evaluate the training, and they provided overwhelmingly (>90%) positive feedback.

Plans for Training Continuity

Training updates are important to reinforce competence in any subject. Indeed, the Good Clinical Practice standard from the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use requires re-training every 2-3 years. To support retraining, five PREVAIL staff who had completed RCR training and who also held Train-the-Trainer certification for Good Clinical Practices or Good Participatory Practices—both internationally accredited courses—were identified and evaluated for their knowledge of RCR and their ability to effectively transfer knowledge to others. Four are now recognized as Qualified Trainers for the RCR course.
Going forward, PREVAIL’s Qualified Trainers will offer full RCR training or an abbreviated ‘refresher’ RCR course for researchers who need to re-certify. With these training offerings, PRE-VAIL continues to fulfill its commitment to staff development and the achievement of clinical research excellence.