Research code and scientific integrity
Sanquin adheres to the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity and has an external ombudsman (Prof Sjaak Neefjes, LUMC) that may be contacted by mail in case of a suspected breach of scientific integrity by one of Sanquin's researchers. Please refer to the Procedure Ombudsman Sanquin for more information.
Furthermore, Sanquin is affiliated to the National Organization for Scientific Integrity (LOWI).
About the Prodedure Ombudsman
As Sanquin Research is a small institute, installing an independent internal Scientific Integrity Committee as dictated by the Code of Conduct is not feasible. Therefore we assigned the tasks of this Committee to an external ombudsman. The ombudsman is independent. The ombudsman is free to work as he/she sees fit. The ombudsman’s task is to investigate reports of (supposed) scientific misconduct by one or more persons directly or indirectly involved in scientific research within the Sanquin organization.
You can only file a report to the ombudsman that relates to a Sanquin employee involved in scientific research or an individual who has signed the declaration to adhere to the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity of 2018
About the Code of conduct
Scientific integrity is essential for the proper functioning of science. This applies to all disciplines. After all, scientific research derives its status from the fact that it is a normatively regulated process, in which this normativity is partly methodological and partly ethical in nature and can be articulated in a number of guiding principles: honesty, scrupulousness, transparency, independence, responsibility.
It is very important that the principles of good and honest scientific practice and the resulting standards of good research practice are clearly formulated and widely taught, known and applied. This code of conduct is aimed at this and fulfils a threefold role:
(i) To researchers, researchers in training and students, it provides an educational and normative framework (Chapters 2 and 3) that they are expected to internalise and guide in their research activities.
(ii) The Code provides institutional boards and scientific integrity committees with a framework for review when assessing alleged violations of scientific integrity (Chapters 3 and 5).
(iii) This Code also sets out a number of duties of care for the institutions (Chapter 4).
