Originally published July 18 2005
Some researchers fake scientific data, findings
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
In line with a dangerous trend, some researchers are actually faking their scientific findings, and a survey in the June 9 issue of the journal Nature showed about 1.5 percent of 3,247 surveyed researchers admitted to falsification or plagiarism.
"I did something which was the worst possible thing I could have done," he testified.
He went to the medical record room, and for the next three or four hours he pulled out permanent medical files of a handful of patients.
Then, covered up his lies, scribbling in the information he needed to support his study.
I also made up patients that were fictitious," he testified.
The next morning he had an emergency appointment with his psychiatrist.
But he didn't tell the therapist the truth, and his lies continued for 10 more days, during which time he delivered a letter, and copies of the doctored files, to his boss.
Eventually he broke down, admitting first to his wife and psychiatrist, and later to his colleagues and managers, what he had been doing.
Today he has resurrected his career, as senior director of clinical research at Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company.
He refused to speak with the Associated Press.
But his case, recorded in a seven-foot-high stack of documents at the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine, tells a story of one man's struggle with power, lies and the crushing pressure of academia.
The story itself is more common than most people might realize.
Allegations of research misconduct reached record highs last year the Department of Health and Human Services received 274 complaints, which was 50 percent higher than 2003 and the most since 1989 when the federal government established a program to deal with scientific misconduct.
Chris Pascal, director of the federal Office of Research Integrity, said its 28 staffers and $7 million annual budget haven't kept pace with the allegations.
Of those, eight individuals were found guilty of research misconduct.
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