The NIH Ethics Program

The mission of the NIH Ethics Program is to support the NIH mission of better health for the public.

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Overview

The mission of the NIH Ethics Program is to support the NIH mission of better health for the public. To achieve that, ethics staff assist NIH staff to meet the requirements of the statutes and regulations governing behavior of employees of the Federal Government. The Program consists of a central NIH Ethics Office located organizationally within the NIH Office of the Director (OD/NEO) and an ethics office in each IC, managed by a Deputy Ethics Counselor and staffed with one or several Ethics Coordinators/Specialists. 

Oversight of the NIH Ethics Program is the responsibility of the Director of the NIH Ethics Office in consultation with the NIH Deputy Ethics Counselor. In addition, ethics attorneys from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of the General Counsel, Ethics Division (OGC/ED) maintain an office at the NIH to provide legal advice and assist IC Deputy Ethics Counselors (DEC), and Ethics Coordinators as needed.   Staff in the central NIH Ethics Office are charged with providing leadership, guidance and advice to the NIH community, especially to the ethics staff in the ICs.  In addition, the NIH Ethics Office also serves as the servicing ethics office for the Office of the Director employees and the NIH Senior employees (per the definition of senior in the HHS regulation at 5 CFR 5501).

The IC Deputy Ethics Counselors (DECs) are responsible for oversight of their IC's ethics program. Specifically, they carry out the duties outlined by the Office of Government Ethics in their memorandum regarding responsibilities in an ethics office (DAEOgram DO-03-011) and the authority delegated to the NIH Deputy Ethics Counselor, which is redelegated to a DEC for each IC. The IC ethics staff are charged with specific responsibilities in support of the program, such as reviewing forms, assisting staff with procedures and questions, and submitting appropriate reports on ethics activities.

Employees have a responsibility to learn the how the statutes and regulations are implemented at the NIH.  For questions, employees will initially contact their IC's DEC or Ethics Coordinator with their questions, who will contact staff in the NIH Ethics Office or ethics counsel as needed.

Areas of Interest

Financial Disclosure
Information on financial disclosure reporting, report types, and filing deadlines.
Official Duty Activities
Information and NIH policy to identify types of activities conducted as part of your official duty, and level of approval needed.
Outside Activities
Information on personal activities with outside organizations, including criteria for approval, prohibitions, forms, detailed instructions for submission, and review.
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Principles of Ethical Conduct for Government Officers and Employees

The following Principles of Ethical Conduct are an excerpt from Executive Order 12674 of April 12, 1989, as modified by Executive Order 12731. These Principles apply to all employees of the Federal Government.

Part I-Principles of Ethical Conduct

Section 101. Principles of Ethical Conduct. To ensure that every citizen can have complete confidence in the integrity of the Federal Government, each Federal employee shall respect and adhere to the fundamental principles of ethical service as implemented in regulations promulgated under sections 201 and 301 of this order:

  1. Public service is a public trust, requiring employees to place loyalty to the Constitution, the laws, and ethical principles above private gain.
  2. Employees shall not hold financial interests that conflict with the conscientious performance of duty.
  3. Employees shall not engage in financial transactions using nonpublic Government information or allow the improper use of such information to further any private interest.
  4. An employee shall not, except pursuant to such reasonable exceptions as are provided by regulation, solicit or accept any gift or other item of monetary value from any person or entity seeking official action from, doing business with, or conducting activities regulated by the employee's agency, or whose interests may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of the employee's duties.
  5. Employees shall put forth honest effort in the performance of their duties.
  6. Employees shall make no unauthorized commitments or promises of any kind purporting to bind the Government.
  7. Employees shall not use public office for private gain.
  8. Employees shall act impartially and not give preferential treatment to any private organization or individual.
  9. Employees shall protect and conserve Federal property and shall not use it for other than authorized activities.
  10. Employees shall not engage in outside employment or activities, including seeking or negotiating for employment, that conflict with official Government duties and responsibilities.
  11. Employees shall disclose waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption to appropriate authorities.
  12. Employees shall satisfy in good faith their obligations as citizens, including all just financial obligations, especially those such as Federal, State, or local taxes that are imposed by law.
  13. Employees shall adhere to all laws and regulations that provide equal opportunity for all Americans regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or handicap.
  14. Employees shall endeavor to avoid any actions creating the appearance that they are violating the law or the ethical standards promulgated pursuant to this order.

The Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch are available on the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) web site.