The Association of American Universities (AAU), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), and the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) collectively issued a statement in response to the National Academies' release of Part II of its report on federal research regulations. These university groups commend the committee's attention to regulatory matters such as export controls, select agents and dual use research, and intellectual property, while specifically highlighting ongoing concerns regarding the Common Rule Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for research involving human subjects. They argue that the NPRM overlooks potential negative impacts on research and clinical practice, as well as the significant costs and inadequately developed components of the proposal, such as consent templates and privacy protections.
The statement underscores that these concerns are widely shared in the research community and supported by analyses from both internal and federal sources, including scientific advisory panels. The organizations urge caution against hastening to finalize the proposed rule, aligning with the committee’s recommendation for more comprehensive, multidisciplinary review. They emphasize the necessity for careful deliberation given the complexity and significance of the issues at stake, advocating for a regulatory framework that is both effective and considerate of academic research needs.
