Ethics and scientific integrity

Yves Strickler, a University Professor and with tenure at the Faculty of Law has been nominated as the ethics and scientific integrity officer by the President of Côte d'Azur Université. View the presentation of Professor Yves Strickler

The officer examines any breach allegation in strict confidentiality, provided such allegation is not sent anonymously, in a process in which the accused party is allowed equal opportunity to respond. His investigation may call on experts who are either internal or external to the university and may result in mediation.  The head of the university is kept informed of the different stages and may decide to get the disciplinary section of the university involved, depending on the information provided by the officer.  

The officer also has an additional dimension, that of helping to disseminate information, and suggesting training programs to increase the awareness of staff and PhD students and to inform them of the consequences of practices which, even if they are not aware of them, may often be contrary to ethical practices and scientific integrity.  

Requests for information, advice, and allegations relating to breaches of ethics and scientific integrity should be sent to the following address : re-ris@univ-cotedazur.fr

CERNI

Committee on Ethics for Non-Interventional Research

CERNI is tasked with enabling teams working on research that directly or indirectly concerns human beings, but does not have a therapeutic purpose, and does not involve invasive methods, to demonstrate that they comply with ethical rules.   
 
CERNI is made up of 14 members representing the various disciplines which may be called upon to make use of their services.  Its team comprises the Chair of CERNI (Yves Strickler, Law Professor), the Deputy Chair (Marie-Noële Magnié-Mauro, MCUPH - Université Côte d'Azur) and the secretary (Rémi Puigventos, Doctor in Law).  
 
Several cases may lead to making a referral to CERNI: 
•    assessing research protocols or thesis topics, 
•    submitting articles. 
•    applying for research funding, 
•    getting an ethical opinion on a scientific request. 

If CERNI gives a favorable opinion, this means that the researcher has sought the advice of other professionals and the project has been deemed as meeting the ethical research principles recorded by CERNI.  
To contact CERNI, please write to the following address :  cerni@univ-cotedazur.fr

Submit your application to CERNI

CIEPAL

Animal testing ethical committee

Other than the provisions for accommodation facilities, supplying animals and staff training, regulations require that any project involving setting up testing procedures on animals must first be approved by the Ministry of Research.
CIEPAL-Azur is the only ethics committee with competence for assessing the ethical nature of projects carried out within the laboratories of the academic sector in Nice. It performs an initial ethical assessment of projects by ensuring that they meet the following general criteria: 
•    the project can be justified from a scientific or educational point of view or is required by law; 
•    the project’s objectives justify the use of animals; 
•    the project is designed to allow experimental procedures to be performed under conditions which respect both the animal and the environment.  
 
Under certain conditions, CIEPAL-Azur also carries out a retrospective assessment at the end of the project aimed at continuously improving practices. 

CIEPAL-Azur carries out its tasks in accordance with the principles of the National Charter on animal testing ethics and works in close collaboration with organizations responsible for Animal Welfare (SBEA) in each affiliated establishment. It is made up of about fifty members representing all the sensitivities required by its internal regulations, including not only researchers, engineers, zootechnicians but also non-specialist members.

The CIEPAL plays an essential role in the project authorization process, by providing an additional guarantee to society that the scientific approach is well-founded and that the animal's wellbeing has been respected. Université Côte d'Azur is committed to ensuring that all experiments conducted within its laboratories are carried out in strict compliance with the ethical principles laid down by the regulations governing the use of animals necessary for knowledge advancement.

CPP

Committees for the Protection of Persons

The Committees for the Protection of Persons are responsible for giving an initial opinion on the valid conditions any research involving the humans, designating any trial or experiment organized and carried out on humans, in order to develop biological or medical knowledge.   
  
The favorable opinion of a PPC is essential to be able to start research. 
The natural person or legal entity who takes the initiative for research involving human beings is referred to as the 'sponsor'. The natural person(s) who manage and supervise the research at a site are referred to as 'investigators'. 
CPPs are approved by the Minister of Health for a period of six years and have regional competence. The law stipulates that the CPP competent to examine a research project prior to its implementation is designated randomly (Article L. 1123-6 of the CSP). 
To obtain the random designation of a CPP, you should log on to CNRIPH application. 
If you have never registered before, you must first set up an account..
Registering with CRNIPH