Wellcome moves against scientific misconduct

Abstract

By recently proposing its draft Guidelines on Good Practice in Biomedical Research, the Wellcome Trust took a clear stand for integrity in British scientific research. As from October 2002, to qualify for Wellcome grants, institutions are expected to have in place their own published standards of good research practice and formal written procedures for the investigation of scientific misconduct allegations. Although produced for Trust-funded researchers, the guidelines could well be of general application to other biomedical researchers. After years of watching US-borne scientific Watergate affairs from the sideline, the Trust's initiative has finally spurred a wider debate over scientific frauds, and the measures needed to circumvent the problem, in the UK. Robert Terry, senior policy analyst at the Trust, told The Guardian, ‘The main intention of these guidelines is to encourage best practice but, on rare occasion, where a serious scientific misconduct has been proved, we would be prepared to take action’ (The Guardian, August 24, 2001). The guidelines have generally been received as a step in the right direction for British science, although some in the USA fear the draft might cause controversy by broadening the definition of misconduct beyond the US government's standard [Science (2001) 293, 1411]. AR