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Press Release
PRIM&R Begins Annual Conference With Emphasis on Building Public Trust in Science
December 4, 2023
WASHINGTON – Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R), a Boston-based national nonprofit working to advance the highest ethical standards in the conduct of scientific research, began its four-day annual conference on Sunday, including more than 400 speakers, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. During her opening remarks, PRIM&R Executive Director, Ivy R. Tillman, EdD, CCRC, CIP called for increased engagement, transparency and accountability to help build and maintain public trust in scientific research.
“The research landscape is ever-evolving as fast-moving technology presents opportunities and ethical challenges that require us to be responsive and sensitive to the needs of our PRIM&R community and the larger public,” Dr. Tillman said in her opening remarks this morning. “This community is fully aware of the impact of mistrust and misinformation in science and research which undermine public health and the public’s willingness to engage in research.”
Dr. Tillman emphasized that the PRIM&R community is an “essential component of this trust equation.”
“The public must know that research ethics professionals exist and that we are partnering with scientists, researchers, and industry to advance the highest ethical standards in science and research,” Dr. Tillman said. “Transparency and accountability are essential components of our commitment to maintaining public trust, and we believe PRIM&R is uniquely positioned to influence public discourse around trust in science and research.”
The opening session, “What Keeps You Up at Night: Future Frontiers in Research,” focused on what the research landscape may look like within the next two decades. During this moderated session, a diverse panel of national experts in clinical trials and drug development, artificial intelligence, nonhuman primate research, and scientific workforce development provided their perspectives on the research enterprise trajectory and what challenges may lie ahead for the ethics and oversight community.
A range of federal agencies will be participating throughout PRIMR23, including the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, the FDA, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Human Research Protections, the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, Department of Veterans Affairs and the USDA.
On Sunday, PRIMR23 Workshops and the 2023 SBER Conference (SBER23), a full-day meeting for those working with or overseeing social science research, were held. The 2023 PRIM&R Annual Conference (PRIMR23), which includes a mix of sessions geared toward those working in human subjects research, animal care and use, and institutional leadership, begins today, and runs through Wednesday, Dec. 6.
About PRIM&R
Since 1974, PRIM&R has advanced the highest ethical standards in the conduct of research. We accomplish this mission through education, membership services, professional certification, public policy initiatives, and community building. PRIM&R is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Find out more at www.primr.org
Media Contact:
Daniel McLean
Public Engagement Manager
Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R)
Direct: 617-303-1877
dmclean@primr.org
www.primr.org