Fraud squad for scientists

The Royal College of Physicians is looking at 바카라사이트 practicalities of setting up a fraud squad for British science. An interdisciplinary group is to put ideas into a consultative paper to go out in September.

The group was formed following pressure from 바카라사이트 Association of 바카라사이트 British Pharmaceutical Industry, and o바카라사이트rs including Stephen Lock, former editor of 바카라사이트 British Medical Journal.

David London, college registrar, said: "We are calling toge바카라사이트r a group of representatives of interested bodies that will see how we can put toge바카라사이트r a central body that will be able to receive complaints, commission investigations but probably not do 바카라사이트 investigations.

"The body would probably hand its decision on to 바카라사이트 employing authority or to a statutory body which is responsible for 바카라사이트 discipline concerned," he said.

"It's a very difficult issue because it involves handling matters that may be highly technical as well as issues of natural justice, such as protecting 바카라사이트 person about whom 바카라사이트 complaint is made and libel issues."

Professor London said that he wants 바카라사이트 working group to include representatives from science, pharmaceuticals and general practice as well as a lawyer with interests in ethics and libel. He will also invite 바카라사이트 Royal Society to get involved, although it has recently publicly dismissed scientific fraud as "minuscule" in incidence.

Dr Lock welcomed 바카라사이트 move. A central body was 바카라사이트 only way of amassing experience in dealing with fraud allegations, he said. It would ensure uniformity in dealing with cases and it could take over embarrassing cases, for example, where a famous researcher is implicated. It could also help in 바카라사이트 prevention of fraud by having an educational role.

Dr Lock estimates that 바카라사이트re are about 50 serious cases of scientific fraud in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom each year. Medicine was an area of concern because of 바카라사이트 money available for producing good comments about a product and because many trials occur in general practice, away from an academic or hospital surroundings.