The impetus for developing a code of responsible conduct of research for the American Pediatric Society (APS) and Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) grew from the recommendations and guidelines developed by the Committee on Research Integrity of the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC). This committee advises the AAMC on policy positions and new initiatives to assist medical schools in maintaining the integrity of their research programs. In February 1997, after extensive consultation with leading members of the academic community, the committee issued a call for scientific and professional societies to further their important roles in promoting research integrity through the development of codes of ethics. The committee's recommendations were then codified in the AAMC publication "Developing a Code of Ethics in Research: A Guide for Scientific Societies," which was an invaluable resource in informing our own process of developing a code of ethics for the APS/SPR(1).

The development and dissemination of a code of responsible conduct of research serves several purposes for the APS/SPR: to reduce members about professionalism in their scientific discipline, to create standards that academic institutions will find helpful in reviewing alleged misconduct, and to serve as a public statement about the importance our professional societies and their members place on responsible research practice. In approving and publishing this code, the APS/SPR have now joined the many academic societies that have already published similar codes of responsible and ethical research behavior for their members(2–4).

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