April 2023 Newsletter
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Stay up-to-date with the latest news and resources from the Office of Research Protections (ORP)
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Restricted Party Screening
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U.S. Government agencies such as the Departments of State, Commerce and Treasury maintain lists of individuals and entities barred or restricted from entering into certain types of transactions with U.S. persons and entities. Consequences for transferring items and technology to or transacting with a restricted party are severe, so it’s vital to know the status of all University partners at all times.
ORP's Office of Trade Compliance (OTC) provides the University community with a tool called E2Open™ for restricted party screening for international collaborations, purchasing, visitors, visas, and shipments. If you need access to E2Open or have an existing University system that would benefit from restricted party screening integration, please contact OTC at tradecompliance@pitt.edu. To learn more about restricted parties and other
important trade compliance topics, please see our video presentations library.
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If you are hosting a summer visitor to the University, please note that you must comply with the Academic Visitor policy. This policy is applicable to graduate or medical students, postdoctoral associates and fellows, researchers and other scholars, as well as any visitors who are not being paid directly through Pitt. Visiting trainees who are receiving a stipend that is not administered through the University are considered academic visitors under this policy.
If you have any questions about the Academic Visitor process, please contact the Visitor Liaison.
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In recent weeks, we’ve been confronted with the reality of gun violence, as several American cities grapple with the aftermath of mass shootings. On a local level, our Pitt community has dealt with false alarm threats on or near campus. In this climate, it is critical that we remain vigilant—and aware of how to respond in the event of an on-campus emergency.
Please remind yourself of the protocols and procedures that are in place to keep you safe.
Additionally, watch this video, which provides specific guidance on responding to an active killer situation.
Protecting the safety of students, faculty, and staff is the University’s top priority. By working together—and staying vigilant and informed—we can help to keep our community safe.
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Certain clinical trials (research studies that test a medical, surgical, or behavioral intervention in people) must be registered on the National Library of Medicine ClinicalTrials.gov website, in accordance with National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other governmental requirements, as well as mandates from most journal publishers. Recently, there has been increased pressure by Congress, as well as external advocacy groups, to bolster enforcement efforts on investigators and institutions who fail to update records on ClinicalTrials.gov.
If you receive a compliance enforcement letter, we ask that you immediately notify us to assist in resolving the issue quickly and efficiently. Further information about clinical trial registration requirements is summarized on the Clinical Trial Registration and Transparency Support website, and you may also contact us at CTgov@pitt.edu for directed guidance.
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Pitt maintains this public website to remind the public about the importance of research using animal models, and to showcase important studies taking place at the University. The site also describes the measures we take to ensure that Pitt's animal research program complies with all regulatory requirements.
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Last week, Governor Josh Shapiro announced his administration is taking action to limit access to xylazine, a drug commonly used in veterinary medicine. Pennsylvania will use emergency authority to classify xylazine as a Class III controlled substance. ORP's Animal Research Protection division will alert investigators who list xylazine on their IACUC protocol about necessary steps to comply with the new requirements.
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ORP Division Spotlight
ORP's Conflict of Interest Division (COID) helps the University community understand and comply with the University's conflict of interest (COI) policies and government regulations. The COID supports the University’s Conflict of Interest and Institutional Conflict of Interest Committees.
To identify potential COIs in research, the COID relies on information investigators provide in the University’s online disclosure system, MyDisclosures. The COID reviews awards, agreements and animal and human protocols for potential COIs. When a COI requiring management is identified, the COID implements a conflict management plan (CMP).
The COID recently streamlined its procedures to ease administrative burdens on investigators and improve turnaround time in the COI review process. These changes include:
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Utilizing a single CMP when an investigator has a COI in two or more research projects or protocols, replacing the previous practice of creating a separate CMP for each research project or protocol.
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Implementing a short online survey for investigators to indicate if they have financial interests related to their research, replacing the previous practice of utilizing emailed questions.
As a reminder, if you are a mandatory discloser and you have an outside interest, activity, or relationship, you should disclose it in MyDisclosures. If you are an investigator, you should also ensure your financial interest is indicated in any agreements entered into the MyRA system or animal and human subject research protocols.
Please send any questions to the COID at mydisclosures_support@pitt.edu.
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Need help in ensuring that your research meets regulatory requirements and ethical standards?
Then use the ORP Support Service!
Just answer a few questions and we will put you in touch with the right professionals to help facilitate your research.
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