eLetters for:
Ushma S. Neill
J Clin Invest. 2006;
116(7):1740
doi:10.1172/JCI28824
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cientists are usually thought to be beyond reproach, but with the recent spate of high-profile ethical transgressions by scientists, the public’s trust in science and scientists is deteriorating. The numerous cases of scientific misconduct that have crossed my desk in the last year leave me disenchanted, disappointed, and disillusioned.
Well done -- your July 2006 editorial on research misconduct, "Stop Misbehaving"
Alan R. Price | aprice@austin.rr.com
21704 Sierra Trail
Published on July 17, 2006
Dear Dr. Neill, Your powerful editorial on detected evidence of research misconduct, especially falisification of experimental images in manuscripts submitted to J.C.I., emploring authors to behave responsibly in submitting their data, deserves much praise. Thank you for the endorsement of the assistance of the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) of the U.S. Public Health Service. I enjoyed, as ORI Associate Director for Investigative Oversight, the many conversations that we had in recent years about "hypothetical" cases and the evidence that you wanted my ORI professional-expert staff to evaulate -- without identifiers-- to assist you in determining whether you would refer the evidence of falsification to the authors' research institution, or to ask us in ORI to do so on your behalf, to ensure the officials would be required to respond (in cases involving NIH grant support).
I am sure you will continue to call to my ORI successors in the same cooperative vein; this professional, confidential, trusting relationship should be a model for other editors. However, you are clearly one of the most outspoken and best of the current group of editors on this issue, and I appreciate your dedication.
