Sunday, July 09, 2006
A scandal in norway
Recently, in Norway, a commission was appointed to investigate allegations of fraud against a researcher at the one of the countries most prestigious hospitals. The commission determined that the doctor in question, Jon Sudbo, had indeed, fabricated data about cancer of the mouth in journals such as The Lancet, JAMA, and the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/01/AR2006070100165.html)
"The errors and gaps that have been discovered are too many, too big, and too obvious that they can be blamed on coincidental errors, incompetence or such like," the commission's report said.
Further, the commission determined that Sudbo acted alone and that none of his coauthors were to blame. This strikes me as an incredible claim for scientific research, when you consider that the field is all about association. As we move out of our labs and into the greater community it is always what school are you from? Who did you train under? Who do you collaborate with? And scientists take great pains to surround themselves with credible, established researchers. We read drafts of papers, we look at data together, we edit, and we conference. I’m surprised that it would be possible to absolve coauthors and I have to wonder if those coauthors involved are truly absolved in the eyes of the scientific community.
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/01/AR2006070100165.html)
"The errors and gaps that have been discovered are too many, too big, and too obvious that they can be blamed on coincidental errors, incompetence or such like," the commission's report said.
Further, the commission determined that Sudbo acted alone and that none of his coauthors were to blame. This strikes me as an incredible claim for scientific research, when you consider that the field is all about association. As we move out of our labs and into the greater community it is always what school are you from? Who did you train under? Who do you collaborate with? And scientists take great pains to surround themselves with credible, established researchers. We read drafts of papers, we look at data together, we edit, and we conference. I’m surprised that it would be possible to absolve coauthors and I have to wonder if those coauthors involved are truly absolved in the eyes of the scientific community.
# posted by Sarah : 8:00 PM
