Ethics rules spur NIH job hunt
Nearly 40 percent of the scientists conducting hands-on research at the National Institutes of Health say they are looking for other jobs or are considering doing so to escape new ethics rules that have curtailed their opportunity to earn outside income.
Most scientists say the ethics crackdown is too severe, and nearly three-quarters of them believe it will hinder the government’s ability to attract and keep medical researchers, according to an Internet survey commissioned by the government’s premier medical research agency.
The tightened rules were put in place last year after NIH found dozens of scientists had run afoul of existing restrictions on private consulting deals that had enriched them with money from drug and biotechnology companies.
Outside income from such companies is now banned. NIH also is placing greater restrictions and disclosure requirements on employees’ financial holdings.
About 8,000 NIH employees, or about half the work force, responded to the Internet-based survey.
Employee job satisfaction was high overall, the survey found. But 39 percent of the scientists researching disease and cures – known as tenured and tenure-track scientists – said they actively were seeking new work or considering leaving NIH because of the rules.
Overall, 3,336 NIH scientists responded to the survey, including 512 tenured and tenure-track researchers.