Scientific misconduct is worryingly prevalent in the UK, shows BMJ survey

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e377

[font face=Times, Serif][font size=5]Scientific misconduct is worryingly prevalent in the UK, shows BMJ survey[/font]

BMJ 2012; 344 doi: 10.1136/bmj.e377 (Published 12 January 2012)
Cite this as: BMJ 2012;344:e377

[font size=3]One in seven UK based scientists or doctors has witnessed colleagues intentionally altering or fabricating data during their research or for the purposes of publication, found a survey of more than 2700 researchers conducted by the BMJ.

The survey, which was emailed to 9036 academics and clinicians who had submitted articles to the BMJ or acted as peer reviewers for the journal (response rate 31%), found that 13% of these researchers admitted knowledge of colleagues “inappropriately adjusting, excluding, altering, or fabricating data” for the purpose of publication. Just over one in 20 (6%) said they were aware of cases of possible misconduct within their own institutions that remained insufficiently investigated.

The survey, which aimed to describe the extent of research fraud in the UK, was conducted in advance of a high level summit organised by the BMJ and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) on 12 January. The meeting brings together institutions, researchers, and funders to address the problem of research misconduct in the UK.

“UK science and medicine deserve better. Doing nothing is not an option,” said Fiona Godlee, BMJ editor in chief.

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[cbayer]

1. Wow, and I doubt this is only the case in the UK. Very bad news.

At least they have gathered sufficient data to develop a plan to address this problem.

[LeftishBrit]

2. Depressing and not that surprising

While there is NO EXCUSE for academic fraud, one contributory factor to the problem is that successive governments in the UK have encouraged a Thatcherite culture that can be highly corrupting. 'NCLB for grownups' basically. Trying to turn universities (and schools, and other institutions) into cut-throat businesses. With the result that sometimes academics and other professionals feel pressed to act like cut-throat businesspeople.

http://bulliedacademics.blogspot.com/2011/11/academic-as-truth-teller.html

Of course, some researchers just are borderline psychopaths who would be dishonest anyway. Andrew Wakefield is an example that springs to mind.

[CanSocDem]

3. No, not surprising...

"Trying to turn universities (and schools, and other institutions) into cut-throat businesses."

Or, at least, into regular profit-oriented business, that some would say is already "cut-throat". Shouldn't be too hard to do...lots of industry out there looking for an 'academic' endorsement. And in the free-market, much weight is put on 'scientific' endorsements because of the proximity of a marketplace disaster. Who is better placed than an institution, over-flowing with chemistry students looking for a job, to provide industry with their needed endorsement. It's what they pay for isn't it.

I'm sure they deal all the time with niggling concerns about actual evidence and the interests of their benefactors; if the scientific community had only one goal and that being to serve the public interest, we wouldn't have to worry about any of this.

.

[Odin2005]

4. Exibit A: Andrew Wakefield