Hwang: how doctored papers got published
R. PRASAD
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The case exposed limitations that journals face in preventing fraud
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AS LONG as rewards, visibility and incentives that come from getting papers published in reputed journals such as Science and Nature exist, the temptation by some researchers to fake, fabricate or manipulate data cannot be completely curbed.
As if that is not sobering enough, the committee headed by John I. Brauman of Stanford University, California, and constituted by Science to look at Hwang Woo Suk's case has stated, "no realistic set of procedures [by the journals] can be completely immune to deliberate fraud."
Hwang had published two papers on stem cell research in Science last year that were later found to have deliberately manipulated and fabricated data.
The factors
Hwang's case brought to light the factors that entice some researchers to resort to such unethical practices and the limitations journals face in spotting and preventing such papers from getting published.
The report further states that "the journal was intentionally deceived. This type of deception has occurred before and ... could well be attempted again." And is the journal's peer reviewing process equipped to handle such doctored papers?
The committee does not think so. "It appears that the current process, predicated on the assumption that there is no misrepresentation, is not adequate to deal with problems of this kind," it noted.
Grave concern
This observation about Science is of grave concern to science in general. If a journal like Science is found wanting on such a critical issue, the state of other lesser journals must surely be grave.
Where the papers published in peer reviewed journals are taken on face value, the committee's assessment paints a grim picture for science.
While stating that Science followed a `standard' process, and actions taken were in line with the journal's guidelines, the committee has pointed out that the "behaviour and notes from `invited' authors probably should have raised more concerns about the motivations of the Korean authors."
And by also stating that taken together with the problems concerning the consent forms and authorship, the decision on its publication was not deliberated enough despite the "general sense of unease to many editors."
While data fabrication is outright condemnable, the effect that papers on therapeutical stem cell technology have on society is not the same as in certain other disciplines of science.
The fact that Hwang's case received such attention though several researchers have in the past resorted to data falsification only reinforces this.
Taking cognisance
The committee has taken cognisance of this and wants Science to be more wary of papers that tend to totally contradict conventional wisdom or promise greater benefit to the society.
Climate change, human health, and particular areas in commercial biomedicine and nanotechnology, according to the committee, are areas that qualify for special attention.
Among its recommendations, it requires authors to provide primary data to reviewers when required.
The White Paper on promoting integrity in scientific journal publications brought out by the Council of Science Editors (CSE) recently makes a similar recommendation. The acceptance of a paper, according to CSE, hinges on the willingness of the authors to produce primary data when asked to.
Image manipulation
If such primary data were required of Hwang, the two `landmark' papers would never have been published in the first place.
The CSE White Paper has dealt at length on the issue of image manipulation. It may be recalled that Hwang had produced images to support his case based on photographs that were all manipulated from just one photograph.
How Science and other top rung peer reviewed journals and lesser journals equip themselves to detect papers containing fabricated data and ensure that they never get published will determine the way science progresses and the level of confidence people will repose on such published work.
The acid test for journals has just about begun.
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