Like many principal investigators, Dr. Loren Seligman often accepted invitations to present his work to colleagues at other institutions. During a talk at Underling College, Seligman described a new technique he developed that induces neuroglial cells to integrate genetic information contained in a viral vector. His long-range goal was to incorporate genetic information into the treatment of glioblastoma, a brain cell neoplasm.
Seligman had performed his preliminary work in tissue culture, and upon his return to Great Eastern University, he submitted an IACUC protocol application in which he proposed to test his viral vector treatment using an immunocompromised mouse model which had received a glioblastoma xenograft (a tissue transplanted from one species into another). The protocol review was unremarkable until Seligman received an email from a neurologist at a nearby university who had heard about Seligman's work and was interested in a collaborative study. Seligman asked how the potential collaborator heard about his work and was told that an IACUC member had mentioned it to him. Seligman was furious. He considered his work to be confidential and could not believe that an IACUC member had broken confidentiality and discussed the study with a faculty member of another school. When the IACUC chairwoman intervened and questioned the committee member about the apparent breach of confidentiality, the member replied that Seligman himself had told him he was going to talk about his research at Underling College. Why is it a big deal, he asked, if Seligman had already openly discussed his planned study at Underling? He added that he never would have mentioned it to anybody if he had thought that the study was confidential, but in his mind it was now public information. Seligman understood the confusion and calmed down, but he was adamant that a scientific presentation at a college was far different than a presentation at an advertised regional or national meeting. In his mind, there was a still a breach of confidentiality.
What do you think? Was confidentiality violated? Is there any reason why an IACUC member should not discuss important research with a colleague outside of the IACUC?
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Silverman, J. What are the limits of confidentiality for IACUC members?. Lab Anim 45, 327 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban.1087
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/laban.1087
