A survey of more than 2,000 scientists reveals that misconduct in research may be far more prevalent than suspected. The results are published in a Commentary in Nature this week.
The authors, based at the US Department of Health and Human Services’s Office of Research Integrity (ORI), surveyed 2,212 scientists at 605 institutions and found that nearly 9% believed they had witnessed potential research misconduct in the preceding three years. Extrapolating to the larger research community supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), this suggests that as many as 2,300 observations of misconduct occur each year with roughly 1,000 going unreported.
Do we really think this behavior is confined to the United States?
Thursday, June 19, 2008
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5 comments:
It's very discouraging to know that study results are misrepresented by the pharmaceutical industry. I though it was the job of the FDA to keep this from happening.
Dream on Sharon. The FDA has sold out to Big Pharma. The next administration has got to do some major housecleaning in that organization, if it is to protect the health of the citizens of this country, but it won't happen unless the public demands it.
It's scary to think about. Doesn't the FDA care about us instead of Big Pharma? I would hope so.
It is up to critical observers like you to keep them honest. When we do not respond when we are aware of misconduct that misconduct just continues.
Sooner or later others will take up the cry, and those in power - politicians - will respond. Carlos said it well; it won't happen unless the public (you and me) demands it.
Most of the public is too lazy to get involved in anything that takes time.
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