Suspected research fraud: difficulties of getting at the truth

doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7511.281

BMJ 2005;331:281-288 (30 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7511.281

Education and debate

Suspected research fraud: difficulties of getting at the truth

Caroline White, freelance medical journalist¹

¹ London E17 4SQ cwhite@bmjgroup.com

When research misconduct is suspected and the researcher isworking outside the jurisdiction of official research bodies,there is nowhere for editors to turn. If they want to investigatetheir concerns, they are invariably forced to go it alone—alengthy, costly, and difficult process

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Introduction

In April 1992 the BMJ published a randomised controlled trialon the effects of dietary intervention to prevent further heartattacks in susceptible patients.¹ One of its key findings wasthat a year of a low fat, fibre rich diet almost halved therisk of death from all causes.

This study went on to become a "citation classic," cited 225times (at the time of writing), including in guidelines, andits lead author, Dr Ram B Singh, went on to publish many papersin other journals. During the process, he became the focus ofa concerted, but informal, international investigation intosuspicions of scientific misconduct and data fabrication, spanningwell over a decade.

Suspicions are raised

After the publication of his paper in April 1992, Dr Singh submittedanother study (manuscript 924479) to the BMJ in October thatyear. The study was a two year follow-up trial of the influenceof diet and . . . [Full text of this article]

Doubts are compounded

The need for an investigation

The request for cooperation from Singh

The first report

Mounting concerns

The need to resolve the unanswered questions

Singh is challenged

Some allegations are denied

The Indian investigation

The findings

The BMJ decides to go public

Calls for action

Singh's response to the BMJ's decision

What can editors do?

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Rapid Responses:

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Publishing raw data in the e-journal can prevent fraud: David J R Hutchon
bmj.com, 29 Jul 2005 [Full text]
Re: Raw data can also be manufactured: DEBABRATA BANDYOPADHYAY
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