the pressure to fudge medical research finding

Trust me this applies to climate change

The medical research community has uncovered a worrying trend: why are large numbers of medical researchers apparently misrepresenting their findings? Sophie Scott investigates.

Australia has a proud tradition of being a world leader when it comes to medical breakthroughs.

Think of the 'bionic ear', the cervical cancer vaccine and the Nobel prize-winning discovery of Helicobacter pylori, just to name a few.

These discoveries have had world-wide impact and saved thousands of lives.

While there is much to be proud of, when it comes to biomedical research there appears to be a disturbing trend in Australia.

Three major Australian universities are currently investigating serious allegations of alleged research misconduct.

The claims range from possibly manipulated images, falsified data to - unbelievably - allegations that a study with published results never actually took place.

How is this possible, with the systems of checks and balances within universities and the international peer review process for published research?

The ABC has detailed new allegations about alleged research misconduct at one of Australia's leading universities.

The University of New South Wales is already embroiled in a long-running inquiry into research overseen by professor Levon Khachigian, the scientist behind a cancer compound called DZ13. Now they're investigating whether images in a scientific paper he co-authored last year on cardiovascular disease were duplicated

Findings in 90 per cent of the important cancer papers published in significant medical journals could not be replicated.

Today and teaches medical journalism at New York University's Science, Health, and Environmental Reporting Program. So far, their blog has analysed more than 250 retractions in nearly 350 posts since its launch.

RetractionWatch averages 150,000 page views a month with around six posts about retracted papers each week, something the web sites creators did not expect when they set it up.

Reducing the incidence of research misconduct will not be easy. With all the checks and balances in place, there could be some willing to cut corners, and rejig findings to gain some advantage. The challenge is making it as difficult as possible for that happen.

The Australian Bullshit Commission could be working up to refuting climate change now that would be news

More here

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-25/scott-selling-science/5043620