Ethics Contacts

Ethics Training

Ethics Forms

Ethics Topics

Ethics Policies

Ethics Procedures

DEC/EC Meetings

Ethics Due Dates

Responsibilities of the following staff at the NIH are outlined below:

NIH Director	IC Deputy Ethics Counselor	NIH Ethics Officer	HHS OGC/ED
HHS OGC	IC Ethics Coordinators	Supervisors	Employees

The Director, NIH, is responsible for:

1. establishing NIH policies and procedures to implement the Government-wide standards of conduct and DHHS supplemental standards relating to activities with outside organizations; and
2. making program or policy exceptions when justified by special circumstances.

 

IC Deputy Ethics Counselors are responsible for:

1. coordinating and managing Institute and Center (IC) ethics programs;
2. providing advice to managers and employees regarding the application of the standards of conduct, and policies on activities with outside organizations;
3. reviewing requests for activities with outside organizations for conformance with regulations and policies and approving or disapproving requests as needed;
4. approving waivers and written recusals, and
5. assuring the maintenance of all records associated with IC employee activities with outside organizations.

The review and approval authority may be delegated to other IC managers consistent with the NIH delegations of authorities.

 

NIH Ethics Office in the Office of the Director (NIH Ethics Officer) serves as the main NIH ethics contact and is responsible for:

1. providing assistance to Deputy Ethics Counselors, IC Ethics Coordinators, and other managers and supervisors on all aspects of the NIH Ethics Program including activities with outside organizations;
2. advising the Director, NIH, and other top management officials of new developments, trends or practices associated with the participation of NIH employees in outside organizations;
3. providing assistance on informal or formal training for IC officials as needed;
4. disseminating ethics information from the NIH or the HHS Office of the General Counsel/Ethics Division to the DECs and IC Ethics Coordinators; and
5. conducting post audit reviews consistent with NIH Management Control guidelines.

 

DHHS Office of the General Counsel, Ethics Division (OGC/ED) is responsible for maintaining an office at the NIH for the purposes of:

1. functioning as the NIH liaison to the Office of Government Ethics;
2. providing general advice on conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, and other ethics issues;
3. providing advice on ethics training materials; and
4. forwarding HHS, OGC/ED directives and other documents to the NIH Ethics Coordinator.

 

NIH Office of the DHHS General Counsel (OGC) provides both formal and informal advice regarding the interpretation and application of NIH policies on activities with outside organizations, other than those related only to ethics issues.

 

IC Ethics Coordinators are responsible for:

1. serving as the primary point of contact for the exchange of information on activities with outside organizations and other ethics issues;
2. providing the annual ethics report for their organizations; and
3. providing administrative and/or program support for IC Ethics Programs as defined by their Directors and/or Deputy Ethics Counselors.

 

Supervisors are responsible for:

1. acquiring a working knowledge of policies, and procedures regarding activities with outside organizations and other ethics activities;
2. helping employees understand and comply with these requirements; 
3. ensuring that job applicants are fully aware of outside activity and other ethics requirements and, if appropriate, resolving any conflicts before employment;
4. reviewing requests for outside work and official duty activities and approving those within their authority or making recommendations on the disposition of requests for those that must be approved by their Deputy Ethics Counselor; and
5. obtaining assistance from their Ethics Coordinators to fulfill these responsibilities.

 

Employees are responsible for:

1. acquiring a working knowledge sufficient to comply with the Government-wide standards of conduct, DHHS supplemental regulations, and NIH policies regarding activities with outside organizations;
2. obtaining advice from supervisors and their IC Ethics Coordinator when needed;
3. submitting requests for activities with outside organizations for review and approval prior to the start of the activity; and
4. providing all information needed by higher level officials to make well informed decisions about the approval of requests to engage in activities with outside organizations.

For specific information, contact your IC's Deputy Ethics Counselor or Ethics Coordinator, or the NIH Ethics Officer in the NIH Ethics Office.

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Updated: 9/1/07