Researchers are deliberately falsifying data to make it seem that a drug is safe and effective. As a result, doctors who believe the ‘science’ are putting their patients’ lives at risk by prescribing them the drug.
The practice is so widespread that some doctors and scientists are calling for a new regulatory body that solely roots out ‘dirty science’, which is usually undertaken at the behest of a study’s sponsor, the manufacturer of the drug.
In a survey of 2,700 scientists and researchers, 13 per cent – or 351 – said they had direct experience of a colleague manipulating data to make it appear that a drug was safe or helpful when, in fact, it was useless or dangerous, or both.
The British Medical Journal, which carried out the survey, fears the UK may gain a reputation for ‘dirty science’ unless it creates more controls that are already being introduced in other countries.
(Source: British Medical Journal, 2012; 344: e14).
What do you think? Start a conversation over on the... WDDTY Community
