Leading academics are pressing the Swedish government to set up an independent agency to investigate issues relating to scientific research misconduct after a long running dispute resulted in the destruction of years of patient data.

The man at the centre of the dispute is Christopher Gillberg, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and St George's Hospital, London, and a world expert on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism.

In May, years of data relating to Professor Gillberg's research were destroyed by two of his collaborators, associate professors Carina Gillberg and Peder Rasmussen, and university administrator Kerstin Lamberg, in a bid to protect patient confidentiality.

Vice …