ABSTRACT
Researchers who are involved in cross-national research collaborations need to be especially attentive to legal and regulatory aspects of their work. There may be no easier way to get into trouble in an international collaboration than running afoul of another country’s laws, rules, policies or regulations. When a collaboration spans several countries, the sheer scope of legal and regulatory considerations can be staggering. Collaborating researchers must therefore rely on legal counsel, institutional officials, national offices and international organizations to help them avoid legal problems in multi-national projects. Those who do not can put themselves, their collaborators and their institutions at risk-often quite unintentionally and unnecessarily. This chapter discusses an array of legal issues that may arise in collaborative contexts. The issues are intended to be illustrative, as no brief summary can fully capture the complexities of legal requirements for cross-national science. The chapter’s attention to issues specific to the United States suggests the kinds of legal and regulatory issues that must be considered in any national context. It also, more specifically, draws attention to legal matters that non-U.S. scientists who collaborate with U.S. colleagues need to take into account, to avoid serious consequences for themselves as well as their U.S. counterparts.
