Assessment of the AID-financed research program with Washington University, St. Louis, Mo. : a study of the side - effects and mechanism of action of prostaglandins

Audit report covers the period 6/71-9/80 and is based on review of project documents, a site visit, and discussions with project personnel. Although A.I.D. cannot use research results (due to a 1974 prohibition of abortion activities in A.I.D. programs) and although similar research is being conducted by others (e.g., the World Health Organization in Sweden), A.I.D. has continued to fund the project, having expended $1.2 million on it as of 12/79. Despite defenses of the project by the principal investigator and the Development Support Bureau (AA/DS), e.g., on the grounds that menstrual induction, the principal object of the research, has uses not related to abortion, the auditors judged the project inappropriate and recommended that AA/DS: identify all ongoing abortion-related research lacking direct relation to A.I.D. programs with a view towards curtailing further expenditures; justify to a higher A.I.D. authority the continuation or initiation of such research; and evaluate collaborative relationships with other researchers with a view towards promoting more timely sharing of research results. The auditors also judged that since most contract goals have been met prematurely, precipitating research changes, the statement of work is now inaccurate; that A.I.D. monitoring and evaluation of the project have been sporadic; and that the contractor"s use of AID-financed equipment, its submission of progress reports, and its financial accountability were deficient. It was thus further recommended that AA/DS reassess the Research Advisory Committee"s (RAC) review procedures to assure timely evaluations and the utility of research; require the Office of Population to evaluate project management in accordance with A.I.D. requirements; and determine whether the project should continue (and if so, have it evaluated by RAC in its spring, 1980 session) or establish a final termination date; and require the principal investigator to submit a progress report in accordance with A.I.D. requirements; and that the Office of Contract Management require full accountability of all project equipment and close out the contract.