Open and responsible science

Open Access is a broad international movement that strives for free and open online access to scientific information. A publication is defined as ‘Open Access’ when there are no financial, legal or technical barriers to access. This means that anyone can read, download, copy, distribute and print the information for use in, for example, education or in any other way within the legal agreements.

Erasmus MC states that science should be freely accessible and reusable for everyone. After all, a large part of the research is publicly funded.

In addition, Open Access is also beneficial for the researcher:

• Results can be (re)used more easily.
• On average, open access articles are cited more often than closed articles.
• Increased visibility and discoverability of research.
• Scientific ideas are spread faster and more widely and can be used immediately in health care and education.

Erasmus MC’s policy is that all short scientific work must be published in Open Access. All Erasmus MC researchers are expected to make all their short scientific work available Open Access through Open Access publication in a journal or by depositing the work in the institutional repository Pure.

From March 10, 2025, the Taverne Regulation will come into force. The Taverne Regulation makes it possible to make the publisher’s version of short scholarly works public after a reasonable period through the institutional repository Pure. More information on Open Access publishing can be found on the Intranet page of the Medical Library.

Data is a collection of information and the foundation of all research. Data consists not only of quantitative information such as numbers but also qualitative information such as text and images. In other words, anything that can be used for analysis or to draw conclusions.

Open data refers to information that is freely available for general use, reuse, and distribution without restrictions. An open license, such as a Creative Commons license, is granted, imposing minimal restrictions on its (re)use.

Open Data also includes the use of research software. According to the NL eScience Center definition, research software is an umbrella term for codes, scripts, packages, tools, libraries, or programs that are developed or used for research. This means that research software includes, for example, the use of a research program (e.g., SPSS) for data processing and analysis (SPSS Syntax) or a virtual research environment such as the Digital Research Environment (DRE). This definition makes it clear that more researchers interact with research software than just those involved in "software-intensive" projects aimed at developing software products.

The international FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable) principles go a step further than Open Data. FAIR principles are guidelines for the description, storage, and publication of scientific data. While Open Data focuses on unrestricted accessibility, the FAIR principles not only ensure clear accessibility but also enhance the quality and (re)usability of data. Within the FAIR principles, data can be published “as open as possible and as closed as necessary.”

Erasmus MC encourages the application of the FAIR principles since they align better with the vision and legal constraints of medical-scientific research at Erasmus MC. There may be reasons to restrict access to data, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or patents.

Importantly, making data FAIR is a mindset that every researcher or department must embrace and implement themselves.

Erasmus MC promotes the application of FAIR principles in research. Significant effort, time, and (public) funding are invested in collecting and processing data. The higher the quality, combinability, and availability of the produced data, the greater the potential for reuse and answering (new) research questions. Reusing data helps expand scientific knowledge and ultimately improves healthcare. The FAIR principles are essential in this process, increasing the impact of the produced data while also promoting research transparency.

Erasmus MC policies on research integrity are outlined in the Erasmus MC Research Code.

The Erasmus MC Research Code covers amongst others:

• Managing within an ethical research and education environment
• Research with patients, biomaterials and laboratory animals
• Data management
• Guidelines for publishing and authorships
• Third party relations
• Guidelines inducements by companies and financial conflict of interests
• Intellectual property

A mandatory one-day course research integrity for all PhD students  is part of the policy. For queries please contact the Erasmus MC Graduate School. 

For Principal Investigators with supervising responsibilities, a one-day course on research integrity is available. For queries please contact us.

Having doubts about your own approach in your research? Or do you suspect that someone else is manipulating data or sources, presenting results incorrectly, handling data carelessly or is dependent on political or commercial influences, for example? It is important not to keep this to yourself but to get in touch and discuss the situation.

As an employee or student you can contact our Research Integrity Officer (RIO). This contact person can help you to prevent violations of research integrity and advise you on a diligent and ethical approach. This will always take place on a completely confidential basis. The RIO can mediate in some situations or can try to solve a problem in a different way. The RIO is neutral. If you contact the RIO, you will also find out more about the possibility of filing a complaint for investigation. Any follow-up actions will only be taken with your consent.

In case you choose to submit a complaint about an employee of the Erasmus MC, the complaints procedure applies. The Executive Board will ask our Research Integrity Committee to investigate the complaint. 

If you want to contact the RIO or submit a complaint, please contact the secretary for research integrity.

When it comes to medical scientific research on humans, ethical review is required by law (WMO). The Medical Ethical Review Committee (METC) guidelines and procedures can be found on their website.

For research involving human subjects, data or materials that is not subject to the WMO (such as observations, questionnaires, and biobanking), the Erasmus MC has a separate committee for ethical review (the non-WMO committee).

The independence and integrity of our scientific staff are always paramount in Erasmus MC's scientific practice and research. We therefore consider it important to be open, complete and transparent about the ancillary activities of Heads of Departments and (associate) professors at Erasmus MC.

• Ancillary activities 2024 (in Dutch only)
• Ancillary activities 2023 (in Dutch only)
• Ancillary activities 2021/2022 (in Dutch only)
• Ancillary activities 2020 (in Dutch only)

With regard to the concept of ancillary positions, the annual request is in line with Article 9.3 of the CAO-UMC and the "Sectorale Regeling Nevenwerkzaamheden" (CAO-NU). Erasmus MC defines ancillary activities as those activities performed by an Erasmus MC employee that are not directly part of the applicable job description. Activities that are an extension of the assigned tasks (within Erasmus MC) or activities that (may) affect the performance of the employee's tasks or the interests of Erasmus MC are also ancillary activities. This is irrespective of (i) the extent of the employment at Erasmus MC, (ii) the scope of the ancillary activities, (iii) whether the person involved receives a remuneration for the ancillary activities, and (iv) whether the activities are performed outside or during working hours (v) incidental or structural. Sources:

A conflict of interest occurs when an employee, or the department/section he or she works in, has  financial or personal ties with other persons or organisations which could influence the research or other activities that are performed within Erasmus MC. The extent of this influence ranges from negligible to substantial. Financial interests (such as financial entitlements, paid consultancies, equity interests, gifts, royalties) are the easiest sources of conflicts of interest to identify but the most likely to undermine scientific independence. A conflict of interest can, however, also exist without the employee being aware of it. Conflicts of interest are often associated with the interests of (pharmaceutical and other types of) companies, but they can also stem from personal relationships. Research sponsored by the government or other funding agencies could also give rise to conflicts of interest.
Click here for the Erasmus MC policy on Financial Conflict of Interest.

FCOI related to PHS funded projects

For Erasmus MC researchers participating in projects funded by the US Public Health Service (PHS), e.g. the National Institutes of Health (NIH), additional requirements regarding awareness and reporting of conflicts of interest apply, as described in the Financial Conflict of Interest policy related to PHS-funded projects.

Knowledge security is first and foremost about preventing the undesirable transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology. Transfer is undesirable if it compromises our country’s national security. Knowledge security also entails the covert influencing of education and research by other states. Such interference places academic freedom and social safety in jeopardy. Finally, knowledge security involves ethical issues that can be at play in collaboration with countries that do not respect fundamental rights.

Effective risk reduction first requires the accurate identification of sensitive knowledge areas. Examples include knowledge that has been developed for military applications or dual-use technologies. Knowledge areas that fall outside the scope of export control can also be sensitive. Examples include the domains (or sub-domains) of artificial intelligence, advanced robotics and quantum technology. Here, an increased risk of unethical application of research results may exist, for instance related to mass surveillance programmes.

The Erasmus MC is currently working on installing an advisory committee and creating awareness around this topic. Do you have any questions about international partnerships? Do not hesitate to contact the National Contact Point for Knowledge Security. 

• Erasmus MC Research Code
• Complaints procedure Erasmus MC
• CAO-UMC (Article 9.3. Ancillary Activities)
• CAO-NU (Article 1.14. and Appendix J) 
• Sectorale Regeling
• EUR policy ancillary activities
• Financial Conflict of Interest Policy
• FCOI related to PHS funded projects