UK bodies are now working together to set up panel on misconduct

EDITOR—We sympathise with Lock's frustration about the delay in establishing a British panel for preventing and managing biomedical research misconduct.1 Having produced this college's consensus conference statement,2 we worked with sister colleges to develop a blueprint for such a panel.3 The subsequent development of the panel was charged by UK colleges and other relevant bodies to the Academy of Medical Sciences. This item has been monitored closely by our audit and research committee, and, like Lock, we are disappointed that the academy has not made more progress.

After the meeting of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in October, where Lock spoke, it was proposed that the colleges should work with the General Medical Council, Universities UK, NHS Research and Development, and the Academy of Medical Sciences to ensure the progression of the panel. The Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK has since confirmed its support for the joint working group. This college continues to promote its misconduct statement and remains fully committed to working actively with all other bodies to establish the British panel.