ASA NEWSDate: August 18, 2001Contact: Public Information(202) 383-9005, ext. 320[email protected]

Human Subjects and the Social Sciences will be Discussed at the American Sociological Association's Annual Meeting

Anaheim, CA - On August 19, Director of the Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Greg Koski, will discuss social science research involving human subjects and the ethics involved at the American Sociological Association's Annual Meeting in Anaheim, CA. This is a unique opportunity for researchers, teachers, and students to learn about the review of social and behavior science research involving human subjects. The format is intended to be an open forum.

Joining Dr. Koski for the panel presentation will be Felice Levine, a member of the National Human Research Protections Advisory Committee (NHRPAC), as the moderator and organizer. Robert Hauser, University of Wisconsin, Madison and Sally T. Hillsman, National Institute of Justice, two members of the NHRPAC Social and Behavioral Science Working Group are on the panel. Also, the panel includes Barbara J. Risman, North Carolina State University, an ASA Council member with interests in human subjects protection as it relates to research, teaching, and training. NHRPAC provides expert advice and recommendations to the Secretary of HHS; Assistant Secretary for Health; the Director, Office for Human Research Protections, and other departmental officials on a broad range of issues pertaining to the protection of human research subjects.

The special session, "Town Meeting: Human Subjects and the Social Sciences," is scheduled for Sunday, August 19, from 2:30 - 4:10 p.m., at the Anaheim Marriott, Pacific Ballroom A, Anaheim, CA.

Dr. Koski is the first Director of the newly created Federal Office for Human Research Protections. Before joining OHRP, he was the Director of Human Research Affairs, Partners HealthCare System in Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He received his education at Harvard and has actively participated in every aspect of academic medicine, including basic research, clinical investigation, teaching, administration, and patient care. He has been an Institutional Review Board Chair as well as a subject.

More than four thousand participants are expected to attend the conference, which runs August 18-21 at the Anaheim Marriott and the Hilton Anaheim in Anaheim, CA. Members of the press interested in attending the Human Subjects and the Social Sciences session, or any other portion of the Annual Meeting, may contact Johanna Ebner in the Public Information Office at (714) 740-4568 in Anaheim or 383-9005 x320 in DC; or by e-mail at [email protected]. For further meeting information see http://www.asanet.org/convention/2001/index.html.