Statement Of Values And Principles
Purpose
This document sets out the values and principles which underpin our decisions on research strategy, policy and investment.
Values and principles
We wish to ensure that our investment in research adds the greatest possible value to overall research activity in the field of prostate cancer. To achieve this, we have adopted the following values and principles:
Accountability
We value the money that is donated or bequeathed to us. We recognise our responsibilities to our donors and our dependency on their continued generosity and goodwill towards us. We will always seek to use our funds efficiently, providing value for money in the research that we support and communicating, in appropriate ways, the processes and outcomes of the research we fund. We will ensure that the terms of our research grant agreements enable us to derive maximum benefit from intellectual property rights and commercial exploitation of research results.
Independent advice
We will develop explicit, published strategies and policies for research investment, taking into account overall research effort in the United Kingdom and, where feasible worldwide, and based on the best independent advice.
Peer review
We will ensure effective, independent peer review of all research applications considered, and all funded research output, enabling us to invest in the highest quality research. We expect peer review to be undertaken with due regard to confidentiality and will implement arrangements to reinforce this.
User involvement
Research aims to benefit current and future generations of men affected by prostate cancer - and those near to them. We will ensure that effective arrangements exist for representation of the ‘user voice’ in decisions on research strategy, policy and investment.
Collaboration
Research effort is likely to be of maximum benefit when effective collaboration exists. We will adopt a collaborative approach to the joint funding of research projects where we believe that this will achieve the greatest potential gain. We will value, and expect evidence of, a collaborative approach by researchers funded by us and recognition by them of national collaborative initiatives.
Openness
Whilst recognising the need for scientists to protect appropriately their research interests, we will aim to ensure that researchers funded by us are as open as possible in discussing their work with other scientists and, in accessible forms, with the public. Once results have been published, we expect our funded researchers to make available relevant data and materials to other researchers, on request, subject to ethics approvals and intellectual property considerations. We will publish outline details of research grants awarded and will promote ‘user-friendly’ publication of research results.
Integrity
We demand integrity of all involved in decisions on grant awards and by the researchers and research institutions who are recipients of our grants. We expect all actual or potential conflicts of interest to be declared and we will establish appropriate mechanisms to ensure this. We expect all research activity funded by us to be carried out to the highest standards of current ethical and research practice.
Approved by the Board of Trustees: July 2003